What Once Was
by Ichimarugyrl24
Summary: After many years of no contact, Fuji and Atobe meet again. But the tensai won't get any forgiveness for his actions as a teenager, not from Atobe at least. Their daughter is more than willing to get to know her mother though. AtobexFuji FujixAtobe. Mpreg.
1. An Unexpected Reunion

New PoT fanfic, but I'm gonna tell you now, it's already finished. It'll be about three or four chapters depending on how long the last chapter is (my Microsoft Office stopped working, so now I'm using wordpad, and it doesn't say how many words there are). Anyway, it's already done. I just have to upload the last chapter, and then you'll be getting everything in a timely order, so don't worry about me taking forever to update. Anyway, please enjoy this new fanfic!

Yumi: Beauty

Miyoko: Beautiful Generations Child

Summary: After many years of no contact, Fuji and Atobe meet again. But the tensai won't get any forgiveness for his actions as a teenager, not from Atobe at least. Their daughter is more than willing to get to know her mother though.

Pairing: AtobexFuji. Mention of Golden Pair.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

What Once Was

Chapter 1

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Atobe Keigo lounged in the new chaise chair he'd bought especially for his office, whenever he felt like taking a break from staring at his overflowing piles of business papers. It was a nice summer day out; the sun was shining on him from the balcony; the birds were chirping happily; his glass of water was the perfect temperature to cool him off, but not give him chills; and best of all, it was completely devoid of human noise-just the way he liked it.

He leaned his head back against the soft fabric of his newest prized possession, letting his eyes slip shut. A cool breeze blew in through the balcony's opened French doors, and he caught the scent of women's perfume; no doubt belonging to the lovely female he'd had laying against his desk only the day before. He smiled at the thought, sipping lightly on his water before placing the glass on a side table.

"Atobe-sama."

A dark blue eye popped open to find a servant bowing beside him, awaiting his response.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You have a guest at the door."

"Who is it?" The heir sighed, sitting up; so much for relaxing all afternoon.

"He wouldn't say."

Atobe quirked an eyebrow, but decided against further questioning. Today was supposed to be his 'lazy day' after all (even though pretty much all of them were).

"Fine. Let him in."

"Yes, Atobe-sama." The servant bowed again before leaving the room.

Atobe walked out onto the balcony to survey his land as he waited for his unknown guest. The horses were being groomed in the stables only a couple hundred yards from the main house, and the sight of one particular pony with pink and purple braiding in its mane and tail made him laugh. That girl.

The tennis courts were being cleaned just a little farther away, but the urge to play hadn't hit him in almost a month. Having no worthy opponents to play with just took the fun right out of the game.

"Your guest, Atobe-sama." The silence was interrupted once again, and Atobe turned to see just who was visiting.

Dark blue eyes widened at the sight of the figure, and the heir suddenly had no voice to speak with. This was the _last _person he was expecting to see. "Y-you…"

"Hello, Atobe."

"Syuusuke… you…"

"I hope I'm not intruding on your work or anything. I should've called before I came."

"What are you doing here?" Atobe asked, still shocked by who was standing in front of him.

"I came to meet my daughter."

Keigo frowned. "What makes you think she'll _want _to meet you?"

"Well, I don't know if she'll _want _to, but I think it's about time she knew her mother."

"Hm." Atobe moved across the room to sit on the chaise again. That's when he noticed that Fuji hadn't followed his movements; the brunette was still focused on the spot near the balcony. "Syuusuke?"

"Nn?" Syuusuke's head turned in the direction of the sound, but his sight wasn't focused directly on the heir.

"Are… are you blind?"

Fuji laughed softly. "You figured that out faster than I thought you would."

"How did it happen?"

The tensai shrugged. "Stupid stuff." He took a step forward, a little to the left of where Atobe sat; it kind of hurt to see the brunette so… he couldn't even find a word for it, that's how heartbreaking it was.

"Get Miyoko." He ordered, nodding to the servant still standing by the door.

"Yes, Atobe-sama." The man bowed and left.

Atobe looked over the boy, no… _man_, he hadn't seen in seven years. The brunette looked very much the same. His hair was the same length, same color; his eyes were still that stunning blue color, although they'd lost the liveliness about them; he was even the same height, and as far as Atobe could tell, same weight.

"What's she like?" Fuji asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Like her mother."

A giggle escaped the smaller of the two; it was a sound Atobe realized he'd missed hearing. He'd missed everything about the former Seigaku student. But after what happened, he wasn't sure he could come to love the person behind those qualities again.

"Daddy, what's wrong?"

The voice filled the air in the room, and Fuji felt his heart stop at the beautiful sound. That was the voice of his child, his daughter, the life he'd given birth to; it was overwhelming, but in a good way.

"Miyoko, this is Fuji Syuusuke." Atobe explained as he walked over to the little girl in the doorway. "He's your mother."

Miyoko gave Fuji a good look-over before walking up to him, pulling on his pant leg. "Mommy, I thought you were supposed to be here when I was a baby?"

Fuji knelt down in front of the girl, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I know sweetheart, but I was too stupid to realize that. I'm here now though, and I'm never going to leave. I promise I'll be here forever."

"_Forever_?"

"Nn. It doesn't matter what you say either. I'm not going anywhere."

Miyoko stared into her mother's blue eyes, a set that equaled her own. She could tell there was something wrong with the way he stared in her direction but the way he looked knelt in front of her, with cheeks soaked with tears, and a vulnerability (a word she'd learned the year before) about his appearance; she couldn't see any sort of doubt to his words, nor could she feel any kind of negative feelings for him.

"I don't want you to leave Mommy." She said as she wrapped her small arms around Syuusuke's neck. "Please, don't ever leave again."

"I won't Miyoko. I promise."

Atobe's lips twitched at the sight of the little reunion; he didn't know whether to be happy about the way Miyoko reacted, or angry. He knew she easily forgave people, but after seven years of having no mother, only to have him show up one day without warning; it was an acceptance that should have taken a little more thought. Atobe himself was surely pissed that Fuji thought he could just walk in and everything would be perfect. He was about to learn differently though; just because Miyoko let him in, didn't mean Atobe was ready to forgive.

The door opened and a butler-different from the first-entered the room, bowing before the silver-haired heir. "Atobe-sama, Yumi-sama has arrived. She's walking the house looking for you."

"Fantastic." Atobe sighed sarcastically. "Go find her and inform her I'm in here."

"Yes, Atobe-sama." The help bowed again before rushing from the room.

"Miyoko." Keigo's voice was shaking slightly. "Why don't you take your mother down to your room to play? I have an important grown-up meeting with Yumi-chan."

"Okay." Miyoko gripped Fuji's hand and began to pull him towards the door. "Come on Mommy. Let's go."

"Alright, but go slow." The tensai giggled, allowing himself to be led away by the seven year old.

Atobe sighed again, this time in confusion. How was this change of events going of affect everything? He knew Fuji would never again be a part of his family, but he certainly couldn't cast Miyoko out of the way; he was the one who raised her. For seven years, she'd had no one but Atobe to care for her; and now Fuji was back, trying to shove his way into their lives after having abandoned his only child. And if he _was _going to stay, then how was Yumi-chan going to react to having him around? She was a woman that knew what she wanted, and she wanted Keigo all to herself. With Fuji in the picture, there was bound to be jealously; he had Atobe first so why wouldn't he stay Atobe's first choice, especially when they had a child together?

Life was about to get a lot more complicated for him and Miyoko; he just hoped they could handle it.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Fuji's hands felt out the shape of the small table he sat in front of; clearly it was made for a young child, if the undersized chair he'd squeezed his behind onto was any indication. China teacups and plates rattled with the movement of the table, and the smell of fresh cookies filled the air of the bedroom. Miyoko was very clearly a girl.

"Mommy, do you like my room?" She asked as she sat down across from him.

Fuji smiled. "Nn. It's really pretty. But then again, I wouldn't expect anything less of your father."

Miyoko frowned and rested her arms against the table. "Why did you lie?"

Vacant blue eyes widened and the tensai's heart skipped. "I'm sorry." He mumbled, dropping his head. "I didn't think you'd figure it out."

Miyoko moved across the table to hug Fuji's neck. "Don't worry. I'll show you with your hands."

She pulled lightly on his arm and led him around so he could feel out all the contents of her room. Her bed sheets were a soft silk, and her dresser was an expensive and sturdy wood. The windows had thick curtains, the pillows were fluffy, the chairs were nice and comfy, and according to Miyoko everything was bright pink and purple; he could picture within his head that it was a very princess-like room. It was a perfect fit for any daughter of Atobe.

After a long while of touching and mapping out the bedroom, the two sat back down at the mini-sized table and munched on the plate of cookies. Fuji was utterly amazed at how quickly his seven year-old had figured out about his blindness. She was obviously very observant, educated and informed; it was something that reminded him of both himself and Atobe.

"Mommy, what's it like?" She asked after a long silence.

Fuji's heart skipped again. "I-it's like if you close your eyes, and keep them closed forever." His empty eyes began to leak with the tears of bad memories. "But believe me sweetie, I had no intention of showing up here like this. Until only a few months ago, I was able to see just like you."

Miyoko cocked her head to the side in both confusion and curiosity. "What happened?"

The tensai wiped his hands across his cheeks. "I… I was coming to see you..."

It was quiet. Fuji had broken down completely and was now sobbing into his hands while Miyoko sat staring at her mother. He'd been on his way to see her? He'd been making his way from… wherever he'd been, to meet her and he ended up blind? Was it her fault?

"I…" Syuusuke sniffed, his explanation beginning again. "After your father and I broke up, he took you away. For a couple of years, I didn't care about anything that had to do with him… or you, but around the time you turned four, I decided I wanted to see you, and raise you like I should've from the beginning.

"Your father was good at hiding you from me, despite being an Atobe, so I had to search for you for almost two years. When I finally realized he lived here, only a little ways from where he'd grown up, I rushed to get here...

"I was running for the bus... I wasn't paying attention… I just wanted to get to you..." His fingers moved up to trace his cheekbones. "The car didn't see me… I ran out without waiting for the signal…

"…I had a lot of broken bones, most of which I don't even remember. I couldn't get up from the hospital bed, and I had to be fed everyday by one of the nurses. It was the most humiliating thing I've ever had to endure. I cried for days and days over my useless, broken body. But even after months of recovery, I still cried over the fact that I'd never be able to see you. The doctors had told me only hours after my first surgery that I'd never get my eyesight back.

"After seven years of being without you as you grew up, the only thing I longed to do was meet you, see you, listen to you speak. I thought it was a lost cause to try to get to you once one of those options was no longer available, but I finally convinced myself that meeting you would mean the world to me, even if I wouldn't get to see your face, or the way you look and dress. I only hope that you won't judge me for being like this. I think I'd be a little put off if one of my parents showed up suddenly and told me they weren't able to function the way most people do."

A tissue was placed into his hands, before a light and fragile-feeling body climbed into his lap and hugged him. And he hugged back, as hard as he dared to out of worry that he might hurt the innocent being in his hold. He cried into her small shoulder and gently rocked back and forth until he thought he'd cry out all the tears he could possibly make.

Miyoko wouldn't speak. She'd never heard of such a thing happening, even after sneaking through the halls of the mansion during the middle of the night to come across her father up and watching the news, or some of the help gathered around a small TV to watch a crime show together. She always stayed out of sight, but remained close enough to hear what was going on, but she'd never heard a story about a mother racing to find their child, only to end up blind.

Was it because a mother was either there, or not? Fuji hadn't been there, but then he wanted to be; did that make their story different? It was her fault that he'd been recklessly trying to find her. But then again, it was her father's fault for hiding her all those years.

The door creaked open and Atobe stood on the threshold, a sullen look on his face at the sight of his broken family crying. Damn, this was turning out to be a very emotional day.

"Syuusuke, I know you'd like to spend more time with Miyoko, but we have a dinner date soon. I think it's time for you to go home."

"No!"

Miyoko squeezed Fuji tighter, refusing to let him go. She was just getting to know about her mother, and she still wanted to hear more. It hadn't been enough time; he needed to stay longer so she could learn everything about her once-missing parent.

"Don't worry sweetie. I'll come back to visit soon." Fuji smiled at her softly and stroked her long, honey-colored hair. "You can't let me interfere with your schedule."

The tensai stood up with his daughter in his arms and hugged her one last time before Atobe pulled her away. "The butler will lead you out." The heir said. "And try to call next time, when you're going to show up out of nowhere."

Fuji giggled. "I will. I love you Miyoko." He blew her a kiss as the butler took his hand and escorted him from the room, down the hall, and out of sight.

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**(One Week Later)**

The past six days had felt like years to Miyoko, and she found she couldn't focus on anything she was supposed to. Her homeschool, dance, and horseback-riding teachers were constantly scolding her, and threatening to tell her father that she wasn't paying attention during her lessons; but she couldn't help it. She'd finally met her mother, and she was eager to get to know everything about him, which she intended to achieve the next time they met.

The twenty-three year old tensai found he too, was having trouble waiting. Every day he'd pace back and forth in his apartment, counting second by second the time left until he'd get out of the cramped space and be in the company of his only child once again.

They had planned for Saturday, a day that was free for both of the Atobes, and Fuji. It wasn't planned exactly what they'd do, but neither Miyoko nor Syuusuke cared; as long as they got to be together.

When Syuusuke was led up the walkway of the Atobe home, a butler as his guide, he hadn't expected to feel a small body grab onto his legs and squeeze hard; but when he reached out to feel, he found Miyoko holding onto him as hard as she could, afraid he might leave if she let go.

"Hello sweetie." He smiled, kneeling down in front of her. "I missed you."

"Me too." She responded, and hugged him yet again. "Are you going to stay here all day and play with me?"

"Of course." He gave her a curious look. "Why else would I come here?"

"To see Daddy. Yumi-chan said that you came back here to be with Daddy and take his money."

Fuji frowned. "If I wanted your father's money, I would've taken it seven years ago. I'm here to see _you, _Miyoko. The breakup between your father and I ensured that we'll never be together again, so even if I wanted his money, I wouldn't get it from him because he won't let me get close to him. Understand?"

"Nn." Miyoko nodded.

"Good. Let's go inside."

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They were back at the little tea table. Miyoko drew pictures with her crayons and markers, while listening to Fuji describe his side of their family to her. She never knew she had an aunt and uncle, as well as two grandparents that weren't as strict and pushy as the two she saw every week.

She could tell that her mother really loved his family, especially his otouto. His voice grew soft, his blank eyes shone, he smiled throughout it all; and afterwards, he informed her that she would understand when she got a younger sibling someday.

After many hours of hearing about Fuji's past school life, talents, friends, and other things he deemed important to tell her, they walked down to the kitchen together and ate lunch. Miyoko ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (thanks to the influence of her grandfather's American business partner), while Fuji stuck to wasabi sushi and ramen. It was quiet for the most part, mostly because Fuji had run out of things to say, but he knew it would be Miyoko's turn to spill everything once they got back to her room.

Partway through their little meal though, Syuusuke's sensitive ears picked up on a conversation between two of the cooks. They were whispering about that woman Miyoko kept mentioning, Yumi-chan. The male cook was explaining what traits of hers made her sexy (mainly her breasts), while the female spoke about her pity for Atobe for having to put up with a person like her.

It made the tensai curious. Who exactly was this woman Atobe clearly associated with on a daily basis?

"Miyoko sweetie…" He said, ending the silence between them.

"What?"

"Who is this Yumi-chan everyone keeps talking about? Is she your father's business partner or something?"

"No, Yumi-chan is Daddy's girlfriend."

He gulped, almost choking on a bite of ramen. So Atobe _had _moved on, just like he said he would when they broke up. And he'd even gone so far as to date a woman, when he'd said he was done with the opposite gender. He'd clearly gotten over their past relationship and was now starting a new life, while Fuji was still trying to make a connection to his old one.

Something burned in the pit of his stomach, but he couldn't quite place what it was. Maybe it was jealousy towards Atobe, because he'd never moved on after his first and only relationship, while the heir certainly _had_. Or maybe he was jealous of Yumi-chan. Their break-up had been harsh, but that didn't mean his feelings for Atobe had dissipated. Could he… still love him?

"Do you like her?" He asked, trying to get his mind off the growing pain in his chest.

"Not really. She just wants to be with Daddy all the time." Miyoko took another bite of her sandwich and wiped her mouth with a napkin (just as she had been taught). "When Daddy first told me about her, he said she might be my second mommy, and we'd go shopping and play and do things together, but she always tells me to leave her alone and to stay away when she's with Daddy. I think they just sit around and kiss all day."

Fuji laughed; at least there were _some_ things she was naïve about.

When (late) lunchtime was all over, they made their way back to Miyoko's room. They sat down in the little chairs and ate a fresh plate of pastries from the china plates, and the young Atobe female spoke of her lessons schedule, and of the family she knew. Fuji was enticed with just how knowledgeable his daughter was; she was talking about things he hadn't learned until middle school, and she was only at a second grade age.

Most seven year olds were just learning how to multiply and divide, and here she was, talking about advanced geometry and algebra; Shakespeare and famous poets, from both America and Japan; biology, chemistry, Earth science; in-depth Japanese, American, and European history with tidbits of knowledge from many others countries (including a few Fuji hadn't even heard of).

She spoke about how her grandparents took her on business trips with them all the time, giving her physical experience of many different cultures and environments; she met many famous company owners, and singers, actors, and politicians; she could speak English and Japanese fluently, and had more than a basic comprehension of at least two others.

Fuji wouldn't expect anything less though. Miyoko had two very intelligent parents who'd gone through school with little effort, and who were able to retain vast amounts of information even at a young age. Plus the fact that she had the best kind of education at her disposal, thanks to her father's side of the family, made it all the more understandable that she'd have so much knowledge stored in that little head of hers.

It didn't seem like long before the sun had set and Atobe came in to tell Fuji it was time to go; Miyoko had to get to bed early because she had lessons in the morning. The tensai didn't argue, and gladly took the opportunity to tuck his daughter into bed, kissing her forehead and whispering to her softly until Atobe pulled him away and did the same.

They left the room together, Atobe's hand gripping Fuji's arm a little too tight for his liking, as he was dragged into the hall and slammed against a wall. He could hear the heir's heavy breathing, and the hold on his arm only tightened with time until he began to struggle to get out of it.

"Let go of me." He ordered.

Atobe didn't say anything, nor did he obey. It began to worry the sightless tensai; he had no idea what his ex was doing with the rest of his stronger, larger-sized body. He squirmed against the wall, trying to get his numbing arm out of the death-like grip holding it. His breath quickened and sweat built up in his pores; he was beginning to psych himself out. Was Atobe going to hurt him, or worse? He wasn't showing signs of letting go, and he certainly wasn't responding to the brunette's struggling; was he _trying _to scare him, or was this hallway about to become a crime scene?

"Stop."

The heir's voice was as demanding and cold as it'd always been but Fuji, for the first time, found himself frightened by the tone. Seven years ago, he'd been able to read right through the other male by looking at his face, his eyes; but now that he couldn't see, the tone was all he could go by and Atobe sounded utterly pissed off.

"Syuusuke, stop."

His arm was released, sending him falling to the floor in utter relief; no spilled blood tonight.

The sound of Atobe sliding down the wall next to him made him flinch away, but the drawn out and tired-sounding sigh the heir released brought him back to his senses.

"I'm trying not to be mad at you, but it's hard." He admitted. "It's just… seeing you with her makes me furious. You act like everything's perfect and normal, like you've been here for years. But we both know _I'm_ the one who raised her. _I'm _the one who actually _wanted _her. It's not alright for you to just burst in on our happy life and expect everyone's forgiveness, because I don't think you'll ever get it from me."

Fuji slowly drew his legs to his chest and turned his head in Atobe's direction. "I don't expect _any _of you to forgive me, not even Miyoko. I just wanted to be able to see… _meet_ her, because I knew what I was missing out on. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me but seven years ago I was only a sixteen year old boy. I didn't want the responsibility. I couldn't handle it. I didn't want to think about the things I'd lose out on if I had to stay home and take care of a baby. I was stupid.

"I brought her to you because I knew you'd take care of her, so even though I wouldn't be there, she'd still have _one _of her biological parents. And I'm really happy you accepted her. I don't know what I'd be doing right now if you had just passed her off, like I did."

Atobe sighed again. "I don't know what I'd be doing either."

"You've done such a good job though. You're far better at being a parent than I'll ever be."

"Thank you."

Atobe's dark eyes roamed over Syuusuke's small, pale body. Up close, he didn't look too healthy. His skin was paler than it used to be, his hair was coarse-looking and messy, and he had bags under his eyes. His clothes looked too big for him, and his low-cut shirt showed just how unhealthily thin he was; his collarbone stuck out too much, and his shoulders were bony.

"Miyoko told me about her." The tensai mumbled as Atobe shook his head to clear it of thoughts from the past, before he glanced over at the soft-voiced brunette.

"About Yumi-chan?"

"Nn. She really seems to like you."

"A little too much if you ask me." Atobe chuckled.

Fuji cocked his head curiously. "What do you mean by that?"

The heir let a deep breath escape him. "It's not like the way we were. She's clingy, and… a bit of a gold digger. And all she wants to do is have sex. Basically, she's the opposite of you."

"As I recall, Miyoko was conceived because _we _were always having sex."

"It's not the same though. When it was you, it was passionate. We could go slow, or I could break you apart and it wouldn't matter. The feelings were the same no matter how it was done. We were patient with each other, and we could make each other feel things we'd never experienced before.

"With Yumi-chan, all she wants is rough sex. She just lusts after my money and family status. She doesn't actually love _me_, like you did."

"Hm."

Fuji's heart fluttered. _Did_. Was it _really _a past tense? Had he gotten over Atobe, or was he still just as in love as he'd been seven years ago? After all, their breakup hadn't been about their feelings for each other, but the fact that Fuji had given up on Miyoko. Atobe had said either together with the baby, or apart. There was no option to stay a couple unless Miyoko stayed. And thus, the situation at hand had come about.

But Atobe's new relationship seemed more dysfunctional than the last one. How could he allow a person into his bed, when that person didn't even love him? The heir was one for looks, but it wasn't _all _he went for. And he certainly wasn't proud of people that got close to him only to take his money. Did that mean…

"Do you love her?"

His heart pounded against his chest. Somewhere deep inside, he prayed the answer was 'no'. He knew Atobe better than anyone, so he knew a relationship like the one he had with Yumi-chan would never last; he needed someone who wasn't so superficial and irresponsible; someone that was neither Fuji nor Yumi-chan.

At the same time though, he didn't want to hear Atobe respond that way. He was afraid of a false hope it would create. Even if he no longer felt anything for the heir, he didn't want there to be a chance for old feelings to arise again.

A regal and amused laugh echoed through the hallway. "Syuusuke, you have no idea how far from love my feelings for her are. I'd never love someone like her."

"Then… how could you keep her around? How could you bed someone who doesn't even love you?"

Atobe paused. "…Because she's not you, Syuusuke."

Cornflower blue eyes widened. So Atobe _hadn't _moved on.

"Yumi-chan is nothing like you, so I don't have to worry about seeing any of you in her. For seven years, I've wanted to forget about our relationship, but it's been difficult. Miyoko is a miniature-sized version of you, and her existence constantly reminds me of what happened between us. Every time I look at her, all I can think about are the features I used to love about you. Your lips, your smile, your eyes.

"When I'm with Yumi-chan though, I don't have to think about you. There's nothing to remind me of you. I can relax and… _tolerate _sex with her, and it never crosses my mind the memories we made in… many more places than just my bed."

Fuji bowed his head. "I wish I could've done that. I've gone seven years without anyone to get my mind off you, and I haven't tried to look. I didn't want to disappoint any more people with my bad choices, and… I guess I'm not completely over you."

"It seems we've both had trouble letting go."

"Ah."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Atobe's hand was warm; the way it'd always felt back when they were dating. Back then they'd always held hands; even in public. Despite Atobe-san's insistence that his son date someone of higher social status and wealth, Keigo refused. Unlike his father, he wasn't ashamed of Syuusuke and he wasn't afraid to show the beautiful tensai off to everyone they met.

He'd spent a fair amount of his money on things for Fuji; he bought him expensive clothes and jewelry (mostly rings and necklaces), the latest cellphones and movies, and quite a few cameras for when they were apart… or naked together.

The former didn't happen often though, and when it did, it was because of school. But thanks to Fuji's great plan, they were still able to text with each other on their cellphones during classes and tennis practice.

The rest of their time was spent with their bodies pressed together. It didn't matter whether they were in a bed, car, clubroom or anywhere else; if they were horny, they didn't hold back. Condoms were always on hand, but a few times they'd run out and found themselves sitting in Atobe's bathroom staring at a pregnancy test.

They'd gotten away with it a miraculous four times before their luck ran out and Miyoko was conceived. It was a big shock to their friends and families but they were excited, especially Fuji.

The only ones who weren't too happy about it were Atobe's parents; the last thing they needed was a scandal brought about by their son's inability to control his sexual urges. They didn't want their precious reputation tarnished by their lone offspring's fathering of a child out of wedlock, especially as a teenager.

They came around eventually, once they saw their first grandchild lying in the hospital. They gave her and Fuji everything they needed, and in the most expensive ways. They received the best medical treatments, the best clothes, food, bedding; anything the tensai wanted for himself and his daughter. That is, until he showed up at their door with no intention of ever seeing Miyoko again as she was placed into Keigo's arms. He'd run off crying, but the three Atobes had never forgiven him for abandoning his child; it was something their family could not tolerate.

Fuji knew that it was over when Atobe had stopped answering his calls and texts. He wouldn't show up at the tensai's house or school; they went without seeing each other for a month before Atobe had a servant bring a message to the Fuji house, informing the petite brunette that if he wasn't going to take responsibility of Miyoko, then they'd never see each other again. Fuji already understood that nothing would be the same should he return to his job of mothering their daughter, so he accepted the fact that he'd never get to be with his love and child.

He had withdrawals for months; he'd lay on the floor of his room and cry all day, skipping school and tennis practice, spending less and less time around others-including his family. All he wanted was to see his ex-boyfriend and their baby, but Atobe had moved away and cut all ties; even his old phone number had been disconnected. He'd definitely done everything he could to keep Miyoko and himself away from the tensai.

And even after all the hate and pain, the touch of his hand still felt the same. It wasn't harsh, it didn't feel forced; it was soft. It was the perfect grip to make Fuji reminisce the days when they'd take it slow and just rub together in Atobe's bed, their fingers intertwined as they had the most passionate, love-induced sex they could.

It was the reason he ripped his own hand away in the middle of their walk to the front door. He didn't want to be reminded of any more of the memories they'd made, or he feared that he'd fall for Atobe all over again (if he wasn't already still in love with him).

"Syuusuke, what's wrong?" He heard the heir ask.

"N-nothing." He responded with a feigned smile. "My hand just cramped up a little."

Fingers lightly squeezed his shoulder; he could tell Atobe knew he was lying, but nothing was said about it as he was guided the rest of the way to the front door and down to one of the family cars. The driver helped him climb in, lightly closing the door behind him.

They took off before he even had the chance to thank Atobe, but he had a feeling the heir wanted it that way. They'd already spoken more than they should; there was no need to dig themselves deeper into the hole of the past.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Miyoko watched as her father's favorite car pulled away from the house, but Atobe Keigo wasn't the passenger; it was her mother. Atobe_ never_ let any of his lovers ride in that car; even Yumi-chan hadn't been in it, and she'd been with her father the longest out of all his relationships.

It was weird how he'd requested for Fuji take his personal vehicle, yet they hadn't kissed or hugged when the brunette departed like he and Yumi-chan did whenever she visited. If he loved Fuji enough to give him his prized car, then why didn't they show it? Miyoko was smart, but love was something that she couldn't quite seem to comprehend. She understood her love for her father and mother, but the feelings between those two and Yumi-chan continued to confound her.

Why couldn't the former two just admit they still liked each other, and make up? That way, Miyoko could have the perfect family she'd always dreamed of, and Yumi-chan could go find some other man to give her his money.

Ignoring the protests of her nanny, she ran down the hallway to her father's bedroom. When she cracked open the doors, she found him unbuttoning his dress shirt, his back to her.

"Daddy?"

Atobe jumped at the sound of the little girl's voice and turned to face her, his hand on his chest.

"Miyoko." He sighed once he'd calmed down again. "You're supposed to be in bed."

"But I want to ask you something." She answered.

"What?"

She took a confident step forward with hands on her hips. "You let Mommy take your car."

"That's not a question, sweetie."

"I know. But I wanted to ask why."

The heir released another sigh and motioned for his bed. "Get in first." He said.

She obediently did as she was told and climbed under the blankets, letting Atobe change from his work-clothes to his pajama pants (which he only wore when she was around) before he came to join her amongst the silk.

"Miyoko, you know it's a lot more complicated than just giving him my car." The heir explained. "Your mother and I… what we had is gone. As much as I may or may not still love him, we can't be together. We both know that, and we both respect it. Besides, we have Yumi-chan."

Miyoko scrunched up her nose. "But Daddy, I don't like her. She's mean."

"Well, she's not perfect, but that doesn't mean you should just give up on her. She's not used to being around children, so you'll have to help her learn how to act. I'm sure that once you two are better acquainted, you'll be like sisters."

"But Daddy-"

"Sweetheart, it's well past your bedtime. I know things have changed a little since your mother showed up, but that doesn't mean you don't have a schedule anymore. You have lessons in the morning to catch up on all of last weeks failed ones. I know you miss you mother when he's not here, but you have other things to focus on than just him. Get tomorrow and the rest of the week over with, and before you know it he'll be back here playing with you again."

"Fine." She pouted.

"Don't give me that look, young lady." Atobe smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "If I say you can stay here, will that make it better?"

Miyoko nodded and snuggled down into the bed with her father, his arm holding her close to him. It was comfortable, wonderful to be with him, but something was missing. If only Fuji could be laying there with them, snuggled in beside her or under Atobe's other arm; then everything would be perfect.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**(Two Nights Later)**

Atobe hated when Yumi-chan slept over; she'd spend all night trying to get in his pants, and if she succeeded, then all they did was have sex. Sure, he and Fuji had done the same thing as teenagers, but they knew that wasn't all their relationship was consisted of; they'd actually loved each other, whereas Yumi-chan stuck around for the sole purpose of using his money. And it gave her easy publicity.

Luckily though, he'd given her the excuse that he had work to do, so she hadn't bothered him for most of the night. The only problem was, he _didn't _have any work (at least nothing he _had _to do). He was just staring at his empty desk, fingers tapping the wooden surface. He was bored out of his mind, but it was better than exhausting himself for Yumi-chan's pleasure.

"Kei-san! Are you done yet?"

Speak of the devil, the woman stood in the doorway of the office, a _very _unbelievable pout on her face.

"I told you to stay in the bedroom." He grumbled.

"I know, but I was _bored_." She whined.

He watched her move across the room. He hated the way she walked; she was overconfident, like she was the sexiest person in the world; Atobe sorely disagreed.

"There are plenty of things to do to entertain yourself, so go find one."

"Why? So you can sit here and fantasize about Fuji Syuusuke instead of me? Ever since he showed up, all you've done is sulk over him, and all the 'good times' you two had together. It's been seven years, Kei-san, and you've moved on to me. Can't you just let him go?"

Atobe cocked an elegant eyebrow as she plopped down onto his desk in front of him. "Why do I have the feeling there's an underlying motive to what you just said?" He asked.

"Well…" She smiled. "I was just thinking… we've been together for two years, and your parents keep asking about it… so, let's get married."

The heir scoffed and turned his chair away from her. "No."

"But you want to forget about Fuji, don't you? And you want him to stay away. What better way to do that than to get married? If you're not single, then he won't be able to try anything with you. Plus, Miyoko will have a real mother, and not one that just decides to show up after seven years of abandonment."

It sounded tempting actually. He _did _need a way to get his mind off of Fuji, and any attempts the brunette might make to get him back (although, Yumi-chan had only convinced him that would happen). And she was right with the fact that Miyoko wouldn't be a part of a broken family anymore, and she'd have a mother that's been with her longer than her biological one.

But did he really want to marry _Yumi-chan_? Sure, she was good-looking, and it would get his parents off his back about getting married; but was it all worth it to suffer the rest of his life with _her _next to him in his bed?

Turning back to face her, he sighed with a defeated look on his face. "In two months. But if I change my mind before then, you can't do anything to stop me."

The (fake) blonde smiled victoriously. "Deal."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

So, how was it? I don't know why, but I just find the thought of a blind Fuji kind of... hot? Maybe that's not the right word, but I definitely like the idea. And I know I've made a lot of Mpregs with daughters, but I think Fuji just needs a daughter. It just seems right that he'd have a little girl. And I didn't try to make Miyoko very Mary-sue, but if she comes off that way... poop. I tried to make her kind of Fuji-ish, but at the same time, keep her classy like an Atobe since that's the way she grew up. Anyway, chapter two will come soon. Just review, and I'll be sure to get it on here ASAP.


	2. It Only Goes From Bad to Worse

Okay, so there will be two more chapters after this one. I'll upload the third one next Thursday, and the fourth the Thursday after that. They're both ready, so expect them to be out early afternoon after my Sociology class (so around 12 or 1).

Summary: After many years of no contact, Fuji and Atobe meet again. But the tensai won't get any forgiveness for his actions as a teenager, not from Atobe at least. Their daughter is more than willing to get to know her mother though.

Pairing: AtobexFuji. Mention of Golden Pair.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

What Once Was

Chapter 2

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(The Next Morning)**

Atobe sat across from Miyoko at the dining table, enjoying a quiet breakfast alone with her while he had the chance. Yumi-chan was still asleep in his bed, and it was a good thing. After what she'd made him do to her the night before, he was ready to strangle her with her own clothing until he'd never have to deal with her again. Unfortunately though, that kind of thing was illegal.

He looked up from his food to watch Miyoko eat hers. It was true that she was like her mother in every way. The way she held her utensils, the way she chewed; it was all Fuji. Age and gender were the only things keeping them from being the same person.

The little girl noticed her father watching her, and she smiled that Fuji smile at him; his heart fluttered.

"I don't recall giving you permission for a haircut." He smirked, finally realizing why she looked even more like the tensai than usual. It was cute on her, mostly because it was cute on Syuusuke.

"But I wanted it." She answered. "Now I look just like Mommy."

The heir's smile wavered in the slightest. "That you do, sweetie."

The door to the room swung open at that moment, and in walked Yumi-chan in nothing more than one of Atobe's shirts and a pair of underwear (he hoped). She definitely looked like she'd just crawled out of bed, which only meant that the two Atobes would have to suffer through her bad morning mood the rest of their meal. Both of them groaned lowly upon seeing her.

"Kei-san, you get up so _early_." She whined as she approached him. "Why didn't you stay in bed and-"

"Miyoko's here." He informed her, before she could get anything inappropriate out of her mouth.

"Oh."

She shot the seven year-old a dirty look out of the corner of her eye; why did that brat have to be around her father every time she went looking for him? Didn't the kid have any friends or maids to hang out with, instead of wasting her father's time?

"Hey Miyoko." She said with feigned nicety. "How are you?"

Miyoko scowled as she watched Yumi-chan walk over to her, and give her a fake smile. She didn't like this woman; she had no idea how to care for children, and it didn't seem like she wanted to learn.

"Fine." She grumbled.

"That's good." The blonde answered as she leaned over, that damn smirk still on her face. "I have a secret to tell you, okay?"

Her lips nearly touched Miyoko's ear; she didn't want Keigo to hear anything she was about to say. Miyoko had that feeling too, because the woman never talked to her unless it was to say something rude, so obviously she'd want to keep it out of earshot of Atobe.

"You and that whore of a mother of yours are going to be gone, you got that?" She sneered. "I'm going to have your father all to myself, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Yumi-chan, it's not nice to keep secrets." Miyoko responded. "Maybe you should just say it out loud so Daddy can hear too."

"Yes, Yumi-chan. Enlighten me."

"Well…"

Yumi-chan pondered on what she should say that wouldn't get her in trouble with the heir, and she beamed with delight when she thought of it.

"Miyoko honey, did your father tell you we're getting married?"

"What?" The girl shouted, turning to her father. "Daddy, are you really?"

Atobe nodded. "Ah."

"Daddy, you can't do that! What about Mommy?"

"We've already been over this sweetheart. Your mother and I aren't ever going to be together again. I've moved on from him, and now Yumi-chan and I are sharing a relationship. And we decided we're getting married, two months from now."

Miyoko looked down to her plate; she didn't want this. How were her parents ever going to fall back in love if her father was marrying someone else? And it was someone she didn't even like. At least her mother was kind to her, and hugged her and kissed her; played with her and did whatever she wanted. But all Yumi-chan wanted was her father, and all her father wanted was to keep his girls happy, even if one of them didn't deserve it.

"Miyoko, you listen to me now." Atobe said. "I know your mother's coming over after lunch, and I know you'll want to tell him about this, but I want you to keep quiet. I'll tell him. Do you understand?"

The seven year old nodded her head solemnly. "Yes, Daddy."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Fuji smiled at the feel of his daughter's hand in his as he was led around the vast yard of the mansion, listening to, smelling and touching all of the things he could. They dipped their feet into the pool for a while, then walked across the tennis courts. The garden came next, followed by a trip to the barn where a few of the horses grazed outside.

Miyoko explained all about each horse to the tensai; she told him what colors each one was, what their name was, and what kind of personality they had. Most of them were female horses, but a few males were kept in a separate stable for mating.

It all fascinated Fuji so much. He'd never really had any experience with horses before, and everything about them seemed so elegant and magnificent, traits that much resembled their owner, although the tensai would never say it flat out to Atobe.

"Have you ever ridden one before?" Miyoko asked him as they pet a Miyako hanging around next to the fence.

"No, I haven't. I've always wanted to try though." He answered.

"Well, come on then! You can ride on my horse's nee-san!"

She yanked on his hand, coaxing him towards the gate into the stables. It was true he really wanted to ride a horse, but because he was blind, he found the thought of trying it a little intimidating.

"Sweetie, I don't know if it's a good idea." He protested. "I don't know how to ride, and I won't be able to navigate the horse around once I'm on it."

"That's all right. I'll tie yours up to mine so they can walk together! All you'll have to do is sit on the horse and hold the reins! It'll be so much fun!"

He laughed at her enthusiasm. "Okay, let's try it." He nodded.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Fuji leaned forward and pet his horse's mane lovingly; it was such a wonderful creature. And Miyoko had been right; it was fun riding around the grounds on top of one. He liked the way they moved when they walked; he liked their noises, smells, the feel of their hair and muscles on his hands. Who _couldn't _love horses?

He could feel them stop moving, something they'd been doing every now and then so the horses could graze, but something seemed wrong this time. First off, they'd been walking around in the dirt ring, so there was no place for the creatures to stop and eat; and second, he could hear one of the caretakers shouting for the two of them to return to the barn; Atobe was there waiting for them.

Miyoko reluctantly turned the horses around and let them trot back to the barn, where her father indeed stood, his arms leaning over the fence like some sort of cowboy.

"I need to have a word with you Syuusuke." He said. "If you don't mind getting off and following me into the barn..."

"Okay."

Atobe climbed over the fence and helped Fuji with his dismount, but the brunette's shoe slipped out of a stirrup, sending him falling backwards into Atobe's arms. The two of them crashed to the ground, the tensai on top of the heir, whose arms were wrapped tight around his thin middle.

"I'm sorry." Fuji said, rolling over off of Atobe so he could stand and dust himself off.

"No problem." Was the response. "The first dismount is always the worst."

"It's a good thing you were there to catch me then. Otherwise, I might've gotten hurt."

"I suppose."

Miyoko felt her heart leap listening to her parents. It was just like out of a fairytale. The poor princess in distress (Fuji), falling to her doom only to be caught by her handsome, strong prince (Atobe). It was only a matter of time before the rest of the tale set in and they realized they were deeply in love.

"Miyoko, stay here while I speak with your mother." Atobe ordered as he took hold of Fuji's arm. "We'll be back out soon."

"Yes, Daddy." She nodded.

The heir led Fuji to the barn, gently pulling on his arm until they reached their destination. The stalled horses whinnied and snorted around them, clearly sensing a tension between the two individuals who had just entered. Atobe ignored their noises and turned to face Fuji, whose expression had turned to that of curiosity.

"Syuusuke, I wanted to tell you that Yumi-chan and I are… getting married." He confessed.

"Congratulations." Fuji smiled at him. "I'm happy for you."

"There's one thing though."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Miyoko needs to stay with you for the next two months."

Curiosity changed to anger. "What?"

"With all the planning and arrangements that will be happening, I can't have her staying here. I can't have her getting in the way."

"'Getting in the way'?" Fuji shouted. "She's your daughter! And you live in a _mansion_! How _could _she get in your way?"

"Yumi-chan and I decided that it would be easier if we didn't have to worry about her while we're planning."

"So you're forcing _me _to take her? No! I'm not doing it!"

Atobe cocked an eyebrow. "So you're abandoning her again?"

Fuji's hands clenched into tight fists. "I'm not abandoning her! I'm just not giving you permission to shove her over to me! _You're_ the one doing the abandoning here!"

"Look!" The heir shouted back. "I raised her when you wouldn't, and I've done so for seven years! You show up and say you want to take care of her, well now's your chance! Take her for two months, and then you can go home and forget about her once again! It seems to be what you're good at!"

Fuji clenched his teeth and drew back a fist before swinging in the direction of Atobe's voice. He missed his mark though, sending him falling into Atobe's arms once again. The heir squeezed him tight and wrestled him to the ground as he struggled, before he was able to get a punch in on Atobe's face. The blow was returned twice as strong, slamming into his cheek and leaving a deep red mark on it.

He wasn't giving up though, and swiftly brought his knee up into Atobe's stomach before another punch landed, this time to his chest. He reached out and caught one of the heir's wrists, stopping another attack, but his own wrist was then squeezed by Keigo's free hand; one that was much stronger than his.

He yelped as the grip became too tight, and released his own. While he nursed his sore hand, Atobe took the chance to land another hit to his head, causing it to whip harshly to the side. His knee returned for another blow to the larger man's hip, and his hands yanked on the expensive shirt Atobe was wearing.

The heir was dazed for a split second from the hard hit to his abdomen, giving Fuji time to flip them over so he was on top. He punched his ex in the jaw, immediately drawing him back into reality. They both grabbed onto each other's wrists again and began rolling across the floor of the barn; they both wanted the upper hand. Finally, Atobe pinned Fuji down with the advantage of having a larger and heavier body, and gave a swift knee to the tensai's stomach. He gagged and coughed, groaning in pain as the heir stood up.

"Stay down." He commanded coldly, trying to catch his breath. When Fuji didn't obey, he stepped down onto the brunette's back, making sure to press hard enough to hurt, and keep him there. "Stay down!" He repeated. "Don't make me hit you again!"

This time, Fuji did as he was told and remained still. The foot was removed, and the heir stumbled back, wiping his mouth.

It was just like back when they were teenagers. When they got into fights, they _actually _fought. Many a times they found themselves bleeding all over the place, with their clothes ripped and stained. Yelling had never been enough for them, so they, with teenage hormones running rampant through their bodies, fought like boys do. They'd punched, they'd kicked, sometimes they'd bit, anything to prove they were stronger; because stronger meant right.

And then there they were, twenty-three years old and still fighting like little boys. And what's worse, they were doing it over their daughter. It was obvious they hadn't really matured without each other.

"Stay down." Atobe ordered one last time before he stumbled out of the barn, opposite the way they entered.

"Damn it…" Fuji breathed out, slowly pushing himself up onto his knees. His wrist wiped at the blood dripping from his mouth while his tongue licked the wound from the inside. Everything hurt on him; he hadn't been able to exercise much in his seven months of rehab, because the doctors were afraid he'd injure himself again, so he was far too out of shape to _not_ feel his muscles screaming at him to just stop moving.

Atobe was far luckier than he was. The heir was much larger and stronger, and he'd certainly kept up with working-out over the years; his punches had more impact than the tensai remembered.

He could hear something metal drop to the wooden floor of the barn, and instantly his head shot up towards the sound.

"Miyoko, I know it's you." He said.

"Mommy, you're hurt."

Her light footsteps drew closer until he felt her small hands touch his face.

"You saw the whole thing, didn't you? Daddy told you to stay with the horses."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Fuji sighed and pulled his seven year old into a tight hug. "It's alright, sweetie."

He kissed her forehead, and held her close, rocking her like he had the first time they'd met. He never dreamed any child of his would see him in such a state, and he certainly hadn't wanted Miyoko to see him and Atobe fist fighting over her. It only made him look like a worse parent than he already was, and that hurt him, more than Atobe's blows did.

"Mommy, you're bleeding."

"I know." He answered. "Let's go back inside so I can clean off, okay?"

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

When the two brunettes made it to the smaller one's bedroom, they found there was a large commotion; maids were packing clothes and blankets, the butlers were carrying around suitcases, Miyoko's nanny was putting all of her schoolwork into her backpack; it made Fuji even angrier than he already was.

"_You!_" He shouted to a passing butler. "Take me to Atobe! _Now_!"

"Yes, Fuji-sama."

The man held out his arm for Fuji to hold as he guided the tensai through the halls of the mansion. Atobe had supposedly retreated to his bedroom once he'd come back from the barn, and was now shut in there with Yumi-chan; at least, that's what the butler had heard. He was a little afraid of how his employer would react to him leading Fuji to the heir's bedroom, when he clearly wanted to be left alone, but he'd been given no order to keep the tensai away, so he wasn't going against anyone's word.

"Here we are, Fuji-sama." He said, turning Syuusuke towards the doors into Atobe's room.

"Thanks."

His hands felt out the elaborately carved doors in a rush to find the knobs, and they were flung open once his hands found silver. He could hear a woman scream, and there was shuffling before he heard Atobe's heavy steps move towards him.

"What the hell are you doing, Syuusuke?" He demanded, grabbing onto the smaller male's arm.

"I already said I'm not taking her!" Fuji yelled back as he yanked his arm out of the heir's hold. "I love her and I'll stay with her for the rest of my life, but I'm not going to let you do the same thing I did!"

"You just don't want the responsibility of taking care of her yourself! You didn't then, and you don't now!"

"And as I recall, you were the one that gave up the child first, Fuji-san." The woman added.

"Shut up, slut! You weren't there!"

He could feel Atobe's hands grab his shirt before he was shoved backwards, sending him skidding across the floor. Nothing stopped him this time as he got back to his feet, but he could hear Keigo's heavy breathing, signaling he was still just as pissed off.

"Don't call her that!" He shouted. "Get your shit and go home! Miyoko's stuff will go too, and you're going to deal with it until Yumi-chan and I are married!"

A hand squeezed the tensai's arm and roughly yanked him closer until Atobe's nose pressed to his. "And when this is done, don't _ever _come back to this house. I'll have you arrested on the spot."

Once again, Fuji had to pull himself away from the heir's hold, but he didn't fight back. Instead, he motioned for the butler to come over, and allowed himself to be escorted away. There was no way he'd win a fight against Atobe, and as stubborn as he was, he wouldn't allow himself to get beat on any longer, for his and Miyoko's sakes.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**(Two Days Later: Morning)**

Miyoko wasn't used to having noises around her as she slept, so when the clattering of metal echoed through the apartment, she was immediately awake. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, curious as to the cause of the disturbance.

Her mother was sitting in a chair at the kitchen counter, smiling at a redheaded man that stood before him at the stove. Pots and pans littered the floor, and judging by the anxious look on the stranger's face, Miyoko guessed the mess had been a complete accident.

"Oh! I woke her up after all!" He exclaimed as he caught sight of her moving around in the bed.

"Miyoko?" Her mother turned in the direction of the bed. "Did the noise wake you up?"

"Nn."

"We're sorry about that. I must not have put the pots away very neatly, so Eiji spilled them everywhere when he opened the cabinet."

The young girl shuffled over to Fuji and hung on him, clearly still half asleep. An arm wrapped around her small body, and the tensai kissed her head gently before pulling her into his lap; she snuggled into his hold.

"She really _does _look just like you, Fujiko."

"So I've heard." Fuji said, smiling proudly at the redhead.

"Hey cutie…" Their guest leaned across the counter to kindly smile at Miyoko. "You probably don't remember me, but I'm Kikumaru Eiji. Your mommy and I have been friends since elementary school, so I was there when you were born. In fact, I was the second one to hold you, after your mommy and daddy that is. You were so tiny, but you sure gave your mommy a hard time coming out." Eiji reached out and mussed her hair. "And now look at you. A big seven year old. It's amazing how fast the time went."

"Eiji comes here when he's not working to help me out." Fuji explained. "He cooks, and helps with the laundry, and he'll take me out places so I'm not stuck in this little room all day. You'll see him a lot while you're staying here."

"You might see my boyfriend too." Eiji added. "He helps out sometimes when I'm busy."

"You'll be glad whenever Eiji's here too, because he loves to spoil little girls. He'd probably give you anything you ask for."

"Though, a daughter of Atobe's may be harder to spoil since she probably has a lot of stuff already." Kikumaru bent down and began to put the spilled cookware away neatly. "But please ask if you need anything, okay?"

As Eiji cleaned up, Miyoko moved close to Fuji's ear and whispered into it. "If he likes to spoil girls, does that mean he has some?" She asked.

"Not yet, sweetie. He and his boyfriend are waiting a few more years to have children. Unlike your father and I were, they're a little more careful when it comes to getting pregnant."

"What do you mean?"

The tensai giggled and gave her another kiss. "I'll tell you when _you're_ in that situation, which better be around the time you turn thirty."

"Aw, that's a little _too _late, Fujiko." Eiji interrupted. He was standing again, and was resting his arms on the counter. "I'd say more like, twenty-five as a good age. The longer you wait, the less likely it is for you to have children. Oishi and I agreed we'd wait until I turned twenty-six to try for a baby. If we hadn't planned on a specific time like that, then we might've tried to put it off until we got too old and couldn't do it anymore."

Fuji glared at his best friend, sending shivers down the redhead's spine. He wasn't a parent yet, so he didn't know how Fuji felt about Miyoko getting pregnant and having her own children one day. He prayed she wouldn't make the mistakes he had, and he certainly hoped she wouldn't have to struggle through the younger years of her life like he'd done.

"Then again, thirty's a great age!" Eiji laughed nervously. "Miyoko-chan, you listen to your mommy, okay?"

"Why did you call Mommy a girl's name?" The seven year old questioned; she was getting bored with all the talk about pregnancy, and hoped to change the subject.

"When we met in elementary school, I accidentally confused him for a girl." Eiji explained. "For a long time I was afraid to speak to him or look at him because I got nervous. Eventually I found out when we had a sleepover together, but it was still hard to believe. I've told him so many times that nobody can tell if he's a boy or girl, but he won't listen. So until he starts looking like the gender he is, I'm gonna call him Fujiko."

"That's silly." Miyoko giggled. "Is that really true, Mommy?"

"Ah, but Eiji didn't tell you everything. Although it's true he didn't really speak to me, he _did _ask me out on a date about a month into the school year. He passed me a note during a math lesson, and was unfortunately caught by our sensei. She made him stand up and read it to the whole class before she sent him into the hallway for the rest of the afternoon. Then she made him apologize to me before he was allowed to go home.

"But I let him take me out. We went to see a movie with his brothers before he brought me to a pet store and showed me all his favorite animals there. He snuck in a kiss at the end too, but I told him I didn't really like him like that. We were only ten years old anyways. After that, he stopped trying to date me, and we became best friends.

"It was when we had our first sleepover that he figured out I was a boy, because it was the first time he'd heard my first name. Before that, he'd only heard people call me 'Fuji', so he was quite taken aback when we were greeted by my mother at the school gates so she could walk us home."

"So, you just stayed friends?" Miyoko asked Eiji. "You weren't upset that he was a boy?"

"Not really. I was embarrassed more than anything, since I hadn't figured it out sooner. Even if I'd known he was a boy, I still would've asked him on a date. I just wouldn't have been so shy and nervous because we're both male, so we'd like the same things. I didn't really know what a girl would like, so I felt like I had to be more cautious around your mommy when we were together."

"I'm actually glad we didn't end up dating." Fuji added. "You and Oishi are perfect for each other. _And_ if we had been together when we played Hyotei in middle school, Atobe wouldn't have asked me out, which means I wouldn't have this little cutie here." He squeezed Miyoko tight in his arms and kissed her cheek. "What do you think, Eiji? Would you rather have had me, or have her?"

"No offence, Fujiko, but I pick Miyoko-chan."

Eiji smiled at her again, but she was too busy taking in everything about her mother's past. So many questions formed in her head; she didn't know where to start. "You and Daddy met playing tennis?" She asked after a while.

"Well, we didn't meet one-on-one when we played, but your father approached me the day after our matches. I think I was on my way home from a walk when one of his cars pulled over and he stepped out, stopping me from continuing on my path. He had a rose in his hand, and he bowed to me as he held it out. I have to say it was pretty romantic."

"What happened next?" Miyoko questioned impatiently. "Keep going!"

"He just said a few things about how pretty he thought I was, and wondered if I'd go out with him on a date. Reluctantly, I said 'yes'. He went to a rival school and I didn't want to upset our teams, so I told him I'd only go with him if nobody else found out. He agreed.

"We went on the date a week and a half later. The surprising thing was, we went to a tennis court. A normal, open to the public court. Since he's an Atobe, I expected some expensive dinner, or a ride on a boat or something, but instead, he challenged me to a game. He bet me that if I won, he'd give me anything I wanted. But if _he_ won, I have to give _myself_ to him.

"Of course he won, so we started dating. I didn't really like him that much, but I didn't hate him either, so I didn't object. He acted fairly… 'normal', if that's what it was. He didn't really act like a stuck-up brat, and he took me places that even the 'common people' like myself could afford to go. And he was funny, and gentle. Whenever we sat together, he'd pull me onto his lap and hold me tight, even in front of his family. I guess that's when I began to really fall in love with him.

"And then when I got pregnant, he began fussing all the time over how I felt or how comfortable I was. He was ready to be a daddy. It just made me love him more to see him take such responsibility over our accident. And I know he was really in love with me too, but it ended when we broke up. I'm glad he's moved on though. He shouldn't have had to suffer because I was such an idiot."

"Don't say that, Fujiko." Eiji comforted. "You were only sixteen. A lot of other teenagers would've done the same thing you did."

"I suppose." Fuji looked down towards Miyoko and smiled lightly. "I think that's enough for now, sweetie. How about we eat some breakfast?"

The seven year old pouted a little. She wanted to know more about her parents and the fairytale that had been their relationship, but she didn't want to push her mother too far and upset him with more talk of her father. She could wait a little longer to find out more.

"Okay." She answered. "But promise me you'll tell me more."

The tensai chuckled. "I promise. But we'll wait for another time."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**(Two Weeks Later)**

Fuji kneeled down in front of his daughter and kissed her cheek. "Have fun, alright?" He said, pulling her into a hug.

"I will." Was Miyoko's response as she hugged back. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too."

"Come on, Fujiko. You're acting like she's going away forever. She's just staying the night."

"I know, but we've hardly spent a month together as it is. I just want to be with her all the time right now."

"Well, you'll get her back after school tomorrow. Hopefully I can convince my boss to let me come in to work later in the day so this doesn't happen again."

Eiji gathered up Miyoko's bag, as well as her jacket, and followed her into the hallway. Fuji came too, and received one last hug from the little girl before she and the redhead walked away, headed for his own home.

Fuji didn't like the idea of leaving her side, especially since they still hardly knew anything about each other. He just wanted to sit down and listen to her talk, play with her toys, or snuggle into the bed and listen to her read. But unfortunately, Eiji's job schedule didn't allow it. Oishi had been the one walking the tensai and his daughter to her school every day, but he had to go on a one-day business trip that just so happened to be on a school day, leaving Fuji stuck.

He couldn't walk Miyoko to school on his own, and he didn't want Eiji to potentially lose his job just so he could walk a friend's child to school. They'd decided that they best choice was to just have Miyoko sleep over at Kikumaru's and Oishi's home, despite Fuji's reluctance. Their apartment was closer to the school building, and if Eiji left early enough, he could get Miyoko there on time, and still beat most of the morning bustle of people trying to get to work along with him.

It was nice how well the three of them got along though. Eiji had become like a best friend to Miyoko, because he acted more like a seven year old than she did. She wasn't used to being around people so energetic and childish, so it was nice for her to be able to act her age, and just be a little immature. And Oishi was like a big brother for her. He kissed her booboos and played with her like Eiji did, only a little gentler and grown-up. Her favorite thing that he did was when he held her in his arms like a baby and spun her around the room, fast enough to soothe her, but not make her dizzy. He'd hum too, until she was struggling to stay awake, even during the day. It had only been two weeks, but she had already accepted that the two of them were part of the family she'd never got the chance to meet until recently.

Syuusuke locked the door behind him before plopping down on the edge of the bed. He now had nothing to do for the rest of the night. Well, he _did_ but nothing he was interested in. He just wanted to be with Miyoko. Everything had become so boring to him when she wasn't there. He just paced, slept or sat doing nothing all day until he got her from school and spent the rest of the night doing nothing but spending time with her, doing whatever she wanted. She was an amazing little girl, and he just couldn't get enough of her.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

He found himself startled awake by a knocking at the door. He didn't remember falling asleep, but after he'd laid down, there was no doubt he'd gone out like a light. But who would be knocking on his door at such an hour? Miyoko and Eiji had left around five o'clock, so it was probably well past ten. His landlord certainly wasn't the type of person to go knocking on a tenant's doors in the middle of the night, and the only people that ever came over were Eiji and Oishi, so who was there?

"Hello?" He called as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Who is it?"

"Me."

He knew the voice; the _last _one he thought he'd hear. Quickly, he unlocked the door and opened it, allowing his visitor a full view of himself and the apartment behind him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked angrily. "What makes you think I want you here?"

"I can't do it anymore." Atobe responded. "I don't know how to get rid of the pain, Syuusuke. I try to hide it, take it out on Yumi-chan, shove it away, but all I can think about is you. I _need_ you. Help it go away."

"I…" Fuji didn't know how to respond. He and Atobe weren't supposed to be together ever again, so why was the heir before him, pleading for him to help relieve a pain they'd both been feeling? They knew they were still in love, but they'd only put off their feelings, thinking they'd never become a couple. And it only got worse every time they saw each other. They'd only think more about their past, their love; it was hard to go through alone.

"Please Syuusuke. Just this once, and we'll never do it again."

"Atobe, I-"

"Please."

Atobe's hand gently caressed his face, and he unconsciously leaned into it. It was such a soft gesture, one he hadn't experienced in seven years; now was not the time to refuse the thing he'd craved all that time.

"Please… help me."

He let out a deep, soothing breath as the heir's body pressed to his. "Alright." He nodded.

"Thank you."

He could feel Atobe's lips press to his in a soft kiss; it was just as amazing as he'd remembered. Already, he could feel his body react to the heir's touches, but he noticed he wasn't the only one with a problem. Atobe shoved their hips together as their tongues met, eliciting a moan from the small tensai who began to back them towards the bed.

His shirt was pulled over his head as he fell to the mattress, and then Keigo was on top of him, kissing him more desperately than before. They both hurriedly released the buttons on Atobe's shirt and shoved the fabric from his shoulders, letting it fall gracefully to the floor where it was forgotten.

They each undid the other's belt, throwing those away too before they parted and slipped their pants off their bodies. As soon as all the offending clothing was gone, they were pressed back together, running their hands over the other's smooth skin until their fingers interlocked beside Fuji's head. He could feel Atobe kiss along his neck in a rushed but passionate manner, causing him to thrust his hips up against the heir's thanks to the blinding pleasure of the soft, wet touches he'd missed for seven years.

The kisses moved down to his collarbone, coaxing a soft moan from his throat, before the heir's lips passed on and found one of his nipples. A tongue swiped over it, sending him into a fit over the teasing gesture. He squirmed in Atobe's hold, trying to get the tongue back on his skin. When it didn't work, he began to whine and arch his back; hopefully Atobe got the hint.

It worked. Keigo's mouth enclosed the small nub and sucked on it, while fingers squeezed the other one. Fuji couldn't help but jerk at the sudden jolt of pleasure that struck him, nor could he hold in the noises it produced; Atobe could make even the slightest touches feel so intense.

The heir's mouth switched nipples, making sure to wet and harden the second one just as much as the first before he sat back and took in the view of the panting, flushed tensai. He could see that they were both achingly hard, and that their stomachs had been wet with Fuji's pre-cum; it was an erotic sight. He leaned down and kissed Fuji again, letting their tongues meet briefly before he slid down the length of the tensai's torso and sucked in his erection.

Fuji let out a yelp of pleasure and gripped Atobe's shoulders tight, digging his nails into the skin. He hadn't had a blowjob in so long; he'd forgotten what it felt like. It was incredible though; Atobe kept sucking the organ all the way into his mouth before slurping his way back to the tip, agonizingly slow, but Fuji could feel the heat building in the lower half of his body; he was so close, but he knew he wouldn't be able to reach his peak if Atobe stayed at such a stagnant pace.

His hands urged the heir's head to move faster, but he didn't succeed. Instead, all the warmth and wetness left, and he found his legs being lifted until he knees pressed into his chest. Atobe's tongue returned to his skin, swiping over his entrance repeatedly to make sure it got wet enough since neither of them had any lube. When the heir thought he'd done a good enough job, he sucked on a finger and brought it down to press into Fuji's bottom.

The tensai convulsed; it felt so good. He squirmed to get more of the finger inside him. When a second slid in beside the first, he threw his head back and released a needy moan; he just wanted Atobe to be inside him already, even if it hurt him.

Attempting to pull the fingers out though, was tougher than he thought. Every time he reached down to grab at Keigo's wrist, his hand was swatted away; and in turn, the heir only fingered him that much slower. He found himself whining, squirming, _desperately_ trying to get some kind of feeling that wasn't so agonizingly painful and pleasurable at the same time.

After a while, a third digit entered him. He didn't fight the gesture though, because the pace had suddenly picked up. Atobe pressed one hand to his stomach to keep him in place as his fingers roughly slid in and out of the tight ring of muscles. They still remembered exactly where to hit, leaving Fuji writhing around, unable to keep his voice down. He could feel it; the friction was too much. He was about to achieve an orgasm that only Atobe could give him, because only Atobe knew where his most sensitive spot was; even he couldn't do it himself (although he'd almost succeeded a few times with the help of a dildo).

His hands squeezed his sheets, and his legs collapsed down onto the heir's body as he reached his peak. A river of pre-cum dripped from his twitching member, and his whole body shook with the aftermath of such an intense wave of pleasure. Even though Atobe was the only one who could get him to dry orgasm like that, he'd only done it a scarce three times in the time when they'd been dating, and two of those times had been in the same night. But after years of no kind of sexual contact whatsoever (he'd stopped masturbating when he'd turned nineteen), it was way too easy to get him off like that. Atobe had clearly discovered that too, since he'd tried to do it in the first place.

The fingers were removed, and Fuji lay panting and shaking on the mattress, impatiently waiting for Atobe to enter him properly. But before that could happen, the heir's erection needed to be covered in something wet to ease the way. The tensai was all too willing to give him a blowjob after what he'd just done, so he moved to his knees to lean down and suck Atobe into his mouth.

He made sure to leave a whole lot of his saliva along the length, as he sucked the organ in and out of his orifice, just to be extra safe since there was no real lubricant to use. A hand stroked what his mouth couldn't reach, and he knew he was doing a good job despite his inability to see because Atobe was groaning and cursing under his breath; the very thing he'd always done when getting a 'proper' blowjob.

They didn't stay like that for long, because Atobe had become fed up with waiting. He wanted to bury himself deep into the tensai, and treasure his small, enticing, pliant body until both of them were spent, and no longer felt the ache. Somewhat roughly, he pushed Fuji onto his back once more. His hand held one of the brunette's thin legs against his chest; the other leg lazily bent too, but not as far. And then he was guiding himself to Syuusuke's entrance, where he slowly pushed himself in.

Once he was fully inside though, he didn't hold back. Before Fuji even had the chance to tell him to move, he was already thrusting as fast and as hard as he could. He watched Fuji tense a second time as their skin slapped together loudly, and within the next few seconds, the tensai was experiencing another orgasm. His fingers dug into the skin of Atobe's back, and his mouth unleashed a scream of pleasure, as more pre-cum dripped from his aching member, drenching not only his stomach but the sheets below him as well.

Atobe could feel the petite body below him trembling in ecstasy, but he didn't have time to stop and enjoy it; he needed release just as much as Fuji did, even though it was the tensai that was being teased the most.

He sat up on his knees and gripped Fuji's waist tightly before slamming himself back into the lithe figure below him. With no body to hold onto anymore, Fuji found himself yanking on the sheets at the sheer incredibility of everything he was feeling. But it was beginning to hurt too. Not because of the lack of lube, but because he wanted to _really _come. Dry orgasms were hot and felt amazing, but that only made his erection hurt that much more, because he was peaking without releasing. He needed ejaculation.

So when he felt the heat of his third orgasm approach, he tried to stop it. He didn't care if Atobe went for another hour; he just wanted the pain of coming but not _actually _coming, to end. He attempted to push himself away, but he lacked strength after what he'd already gone through. His nails clawed at the heir's stomach, his thighs, his arms, but he couldn't get him to slow down; the man was too far gone to notice anything but his own pleasure.

Fuji unwillingly came for the third time, and it was only after he started whining and crying that Atobe slowed down to check on him. Gently, he caressed the brunette's face. He wiped the few shed tears away, along with the layer of sweat covering the flushed skin, before he leaned down to kiss the tensai's lips softly. Their arms wrapped around each other while they rested briefly, panting mouths pressed together, until Fuji felt he was ready to begin again; but he decided he was done with dry orgasms for the night.

"Atobe…" He gasped out as the thrusts started again.

"Call me Keigo, like you used to." The heir responded, kissing his neck.

"Keigo… no more… I just want to…"

"Go ahead then."

Atobe's hand wrapped around Fuji's aching, dripping member and stroked with the rhythm of his bucking hips. It only lasted a matter of seconds before his hand was covered in come while the brunette shouted and arched his back in pleasure. After that, he collapsed from exhaustion, and just lay panting on the mattress, but Atobe wasn't finished yet. He moved faster, and ground his teeth together; he wanted it to end already. He wanted the physical and emotional pain gone, so that there was nothing but pleasure and peace in replacement.

The heat grew; he knew he was getting close. He held onto Fuji as tight as he could for a little while longer until he too, came. Fuji shifted when Atobe's seed spilled into him, but he didn't try to move away; he was worn out, and it was well into the middle of the night. He didn't care what the heir did after he pulled out, as long as he didn't interrupt the impending sleep that was overtaking the spent brunette.

It was much to his surprise when he didn't feel Atobe get up from the bed, but rather lay down beside him and pull him close. Nothing was said, but it was apparent that neither of them wanted to part, nor did they want to get up.

The best part was that nothing hurt (apart from Fuji's bottom); there was no aching in their chests. It would only last temporarily, but it was enough just for them to be relieved of the feeling, even for a little while.

Fuji was the first one to go, with his petite frame snuggled against the heir's side. His arms clung to Atobe's own in an unconscious attempt to keep him in the bed, and his head rested against the larger male's shoulder, brown hair splayed across skin and sheets. He still looked a little sickly, Atobe realized, since he now had the chance to properly look at his ex-lover, but it was probably thanks to Miyoko's company that he looked better than he had that one night at the mansion.

The bruising and swelling from their little 'argument' had disappeared as well, and there was only one little scab still remaining on his cheek. Other than that, he looked like a healthy young male. He still looked like the Fuji Syuusuke from Seigaku middle school, _exactly _like him.

Atobe doubted he'd even grown a centimeter in those nine years, both height-wise and weight-wise. He'd always been thin, and appeared more fragile than even some girls, but nobody could ever underestimate his strength. Whether it was on or off the tennis court, he showed immense physical power. If he tried, he could break the strings of another person's racket with just one hit, and effectively knock the racket away from said opponent. He could kick pretty hard too, as the heir had learned from personal experience, and his punches weren't all that soft either. If it weren't for his appearance, anybody would've figured he was just another athletic teenage boy.

Atobe's fingers pushed long strands of honey-brown hair out of Fuji's face, before leaning over to kiss his soft skin. He looked really peaceful when he slept, and cute; Atobe couldn't help but smile at the sight. But the idea of getting some deep sleep was starting to appeal to him, so he followed after Fuji and dozed off for the night.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

If any of you have seen the JGV, Sexual Report Tsukasa, you'll know what I'm trying to get at when Fuji dry orgasms. That kid comes a lot, and it's not only in one video. T-san made him do it in Raw Cam 3 too. Tsukasa is just so beautiful, and he makes the most incredible noises... *sigh*... I love him.

Alright, enough of the porn talk. Please review this chapter, and be ready for Chapter Three next week.


	3. Mutuality

Sorry this came out later than I'd said last week! I was really busy doing a Psychology project today, and I completely forgot it was Thursday! Anyway, here's chapter three! Please enjoy!

Summary: After many years of no contact, Fuji and Atobe meet again. But the tensai won't get any forgiveness for his actions as a teenager, not from Atobe at least. Their daughter is more than willing to get to know her mother though.

Pairing: AtobexFuji. Mention of Golden Pair.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

What Once Was

Chapter 3

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(The Next Day)**

Morning seemed to come far too quickly for the tensai.

As he rolled over to shut off his beeping alarm, a flood of memories from the night before came to his mind. All of the touches and kisses, and those four incredible (albeit somewhat painful) orgasms; he'd never felt so sexually satisfied before, even though he and Atobe had dated for two years as teenagers.

The sound of heavy breathing alerted him to the fact that said heir was still passed out, no doubt naked; it was at these times the tensai found a little relief in being blind. If he'd have to see Atobe's hard, toned body first thing in the morning after such a scandolous night, he'd probably never let the man go again; that could've turned into a problem. But now he was being faced with something far worse than that.

Although the previous night had involved wonderful, breathtaking, _amazing _sex, he should've never allowed it. How could he have permitted such an act to occur, especially when Atobe was getting married to someone else in less than two months? The heir claimed it to be a one-time thing, but they both knew that wasn't the truth. When they'd accepted the revival of their physical relationship, they'd also unconsciously let the feelings from their emotional relationship return, and there'd be no escaping the even bigger pain they'd feel when they remembered they couldn't be together.

He was really low. Not only was he a terrible parent, but he was just a bad person all around. He'd willingly and knowingly slept with an almost-married man, who's heart he'd broken seven years prior, and who he was going to hurt again when the next request for relief was denied.

He crawled out of the bed, eager to get away from the man he was so desperately in love with, but who he could never touch again. He found himself wanting to be rid of the evidence covering his body. He wanted to forget everything that had occured between them in the last twelve hours. Otherwise, he feared he couldn't handle it. Evidence proved that everything was real.

He didn't want to live with the knowledge that he'd commited such an immoral act. Not only had he given himself and his ex-lover a false hope, but he had potentially harmed Atobe's relationship with his future wife. He hadn't anticipated those consequences the night before; he'd only thought about how wonderful it would be to have Atobe holding him in his arms, kissing him, touching him, making love to him, and now he felt sick to his stomach. He sorely regretted what he'd done, and desperately wished to take it back.

He stumbled his way to the bathroom, closing the door behind him before kneeling to the floor to throw-up into the toilet. He was disgusted with himself, enough to gag him and make him lose his dinner. How could Atobe love him as much as he did, when he could hardly love himself after all the stupid things he'd done in his life?

He heaved into the bowl again, lucky to run out of stomach contents at that point. Leaning back against the wall, he wiped his mouth with one hand, while the other turned on the shower. He wanted the sticky, dried fluids covering his body gone, along with the metaphorical guilt. Hopefully the water could wash both of them away.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

"Hello?" He called from the bathroom doorway, but there was no answer. Was Atobe still sleeping? It was almost nine o'clock, so he should've been up already. "Keigo?"

When there was nothing still, he walked over to the bed and ran his hand along the length of it; it was empty. "Are you still here?" He asked; the apartment remained silent.

So Atobe had just up and left? He didn't even alert Fuji to the fact that he was going? Did he even think about how potentially frightening it was for the blind tensai to think that he was there when he really wasn't? Or maybe he was playing a trick. Was he hiding, to tease the brunette? Because it wasn't very funny.

Then again, why would he stick around after what they'd done? Why would he stay and lounge around after having had sex with his ex, when his future wife was at his home, probably worried from waiting up all night for him? But why would he have thought of_ that _when he was too busy fucking the mother of his child, the person he was never supposed to be intimate with again?

He collapsed onto the mattress, burying his face into one of his pillows. It smelled of Atobe's cologne. How was he able to do that? Just when Fuji would start to get over the thought of him, he found a way to sneak himself back into the tensai's head. It was like he was a disease; no matter how much Fuji used the cure, the sickness just kept coming back. The only thing that could help in the least was Miyoko there to keep him company, but she was at school until late into the afternoon. He was going to truly suffer through the rest of his day.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

"Fuji?"

A hand gently shook at the tensai's shoulder, prompting him to wake. He rubbed at an eye and sat up, pulling the sheets with him. He'd fallen back asleep after realizing Atobe was gone, and hadn't had the chance to get dressed, but it wasn't like Eiji and Oishi hadn't seen him naked before (in the Seigaku showers after tennis practice).

"I'm sorry to interrupt your sleep, but I didn't think you'd want to miss out on getting Miyoko."

"Oishi?" The brunette asked. "I thought Eiji was getting Miyoko today. You had that trip, didn't you?"

"I was supposed to go, but my boss cancelled the flight at the last second. We ended up sitting in the airport for four hours, only to get sent home. Apparently one of the people we were going to meet with got sick. Anyway, I called Eiji and told him to stay at work until the usual time, because I was free."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Oishi." Fuji answered as he slipped into a pair of briefs. "But thank you for taking me to get Miyoko."

"It's nothing. Eiji and I would do anything for you two."

The brunette finished dressing, throwing on a pair of jeans and a printed t-shirt, before he and Oishi started for Miyoko's new school. She seemed to get along well with everyone there so far, despite never having gone to a real school before, and apparently she'd even made a few friends in her short time attending there. Fuji was happy for her.

She needed to be surrounded by people her own age, instead of grown-ups all the time. What kind of boring childhood would it be to only speak with adults, and to have to act mature all the time? A seven year old was supposed to run around, be immature, get into trouble, break things, and it was obvious Miyoko needed to experience more of that while she still had the chance.

The walk to the school wasn't far, but it could take quite a while when huge groups of people crowded the sidewalks, and a blind person was trying to navigate their way through all the bodies. Oishi had to interlock his arm with the tensai's so all the shoving pedestrians wouldn't separate them, and he was constantly guiding Fuji to move a certain way to get him where they needed to go.

When they reached their destination, the students were all exiting the building. Most ran off to find their parents, while a few stayed behind for after-school clubs. Miyoko immediately ran to Fuji and Oishi when she saw them, and gave her mother a big hug around the legs.

"Mommy, I missed you last night." She said.

"I missed you too, sweetie." He smiled as he knelt down before her.

"What did you do while I was gone?"

"I just listened to some music and cleaned a little. I was pretty bored without you there. But what about you? Did you have fun with Eiji and Oishi?"

"Nn. Eiji-ji let me help him make dinner and a big cake, and then we all played video games until I fell asleep in Oishi-san's lap."

"You really stayed busy then, didn't you?" Fuji rustled her hair. "I hope you said 'thank you'."

"I did."

"Yes, she did." Oishi agreed. "And she was very well behaved. Eiji and I would love to have her over more, if she can come."

Well, that's good to hear." The tensai smiled. "I'm glad you all had such a good time together. I have a feeling that I need to keep good watch of you though, or I may just have you stolen from me."

"Eiji and I might just do that." Oishi laughed. "Or maybe he'll get pregnant sooner than we'd planned."

"Yes! Yes!" Miyoko jumped. "I want to see Eiji-ji's and Oishi-san's baby!"

"Looks like you're stuck now, Oishi. She's already getting ideas."

"Please, Oishi-san." The seven year old gripped Syuuichiro's arm, giving him big, blue, puppy dog eyes that matched her mother's perfectly. "I want to play with a little baby. Let Eiji-ji get pregnant."

"We'll talk about it." Oishi answered. "But we might need a while to start saving. Having a baby costs a lot of money."

"I have lots of money! I'll give you some!"

Reaching into a little purse she carried around, Miyoko produced a (child-size) handful of yen and held it out for Oishi to have. "Here! And if you need more, I can get it for you!"

"Miyoko..." Fuji sighed amusedly.

"Honey, Eiji and I have to save money on our own. We can't take yours, no matter how much you want to give it to us."

"Fine..." She pouted.

"Come on, sweetie. Let's just go get some dinner. Maybe Oishi and Eiji will have a decision for you next time they come over. For now, let's drop the subject. It's not really any of our business anyways."

"Okay..."

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(One Week Later)**

Someone pounded on his door, and he had a good idea who it was. As he moved across the apartment to greet his guest, he found himself striaghtening his hair and clothes; he didn't know why, but he felt he needed to look presentable.

Atobe was kissing him before he even had the chance to react. Their bodies pushed together, and the heir's hands squeezed at his bottom; it quickly had an effect on him. So he kissed back, slipping his tongue into Atobe's mouth while his arms wrapped around his ex's neck.

They fell onto the bed, making-out and humping desperately. They needed relief again, even more than the last time. Once they'd had a taste, they only wanted more.

But Fuji remembered what had happened the morning after; he didn't want to feel that again; he didn't want to keep giving in to urges that would only lead to more heartache.

"Nn..." He protested, pulling his lips away. "I can't do it. I don't want to-"

He was cut off. Atobe's mouth roughly pressed to his, silencing his refusal. But he wasn't going to give in... he hoped.

"Stop!"

He shoved the heir as hard as he could, effectively moving the larger body off of him.

"Syuusuke, you know you want it too. Just let it happen."

"I _do _want it, but you know we can't do this. You're getting married, and we said we'd never be a couple again..." He had to unleash a shaky breath as the heir's hand carressed his cheek. He'd moved close again, and Fuji could tell their mouths were only centimeters from touching; the temptation was getting harder to resist. "We just can't, Atobe..."

"I said to call me Keigo." The heir's voice was husky.

"Keigo..."

Oh, fuck it; he'd deal with his feelings later. Right now, he just wanted Atobe to be inside him.

Their mouths crashed together, their hands groped, their bodies touched; it was too good to be wasted. They quickly shed their clothes, then tossed all the unwanted fabric to the floor before moving to a proper position on the bed. Fuji moaned as his erection pressed against Atobe's, while licks and kisses littered his neck. His fingernails dug into skin, his hips thrust up against another set of hips, his body shivered with pleasure and anticipation. The more he wanted to resist, the better the touches became.

He was relishing in the fact that they were commiting a forbidden act. He was enjoying the fact that he was technically the heir's 'mistress'. He was disgusted with himself, but it felt good. He liked feeling dirty; he liked being secretive; he liked the thought of Atobe cheating on his wife to be with him; he liked being naughty, and so did Atobe.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

Atobe interlocked his fingers with Fuji's, before giving him a light kiss on the forehead. The tensai sure looked cute post-sex; especially when 'post-sex' meant 'after four rounds'.

They snuggled together beneath the sheets, legs entwined and arms around each other. Fuji looked exhausted, but in a good way; his blue eyes drooped and his breathing was soft despite what they'd just finished doing. Atobe wouldn't have been surprised if he'd passed out within another few seconds. That was, until he shot up in the bed, looking frantic.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"Almost four-thirty, why?"

"Damn it! You have to get out!"

Fuji hurriedly set about to finding their clothes, while the heir slowly sat up from the bed with a curious look on his face.

"What's wrong, Syuusuke? Why are you acting like this?"

"Oishi will be here any minute! He can't know you're here! He can't know we slept together!" He placed Keigo's clothes into his lap and kissed his lips. "Please, hurry up and get out before he gets here."

"And what, might I ask, is Oishi coming here for?"

The heir slipped his arms into his shirt and began to button it as Fuji stepped into his briefs and jeans. He didn't like thinking that Fuji had guests over, because that meant he might not be as single as he'd said. And the fact that he'd known Oishi since middle school made the chances of a relationship between them even greater.

"Don't get jealous. He's just taking me to go get Miyoko from school. What, did you think I lied to you about being single?" The tensai placed his hands on Atobe's waist. "Even when you can't have me, you still try to be possesive of me." He smiled. "And I think I'll fall for it the rest of my life."

"In a way, I'm glad to hear that." The heir smiled as his fingers ran through honey-colored hair. "But don't think you can't move on, Syuusuke. If you find someone new, don't hesitate to pursue a relationshio with them. They might turn out to be better than me, and maybe you won't suffer as much heartache."

"The same goes for you and Yumi-chan. Don't hold back your feelings, just because of me. You two are getting married in only a few weeks, so you should show her how much you... _hopefully _love her. Spoil her instead of thinking about me, okay?"

They gently kissed, savoring the moment they knew would be their last in terms of a romantic relationship. Fuji didn't know why, but he felt at peace hearing Atobe give him permission to move on. For years, he'd felt so guilty about what he'd done to his boyfriend; he'd refused to be with anyone else out of fear that he'd hurt them too. But knowing that Atobe was fine with him finding someone new felt almost like forgiveness. They didn't need to be together anymore to be happy, and Fuji certainly didn't have to tear himself apart, thinking Atobe hated him and never wanted to accept his apology.

The time didn't last long enough though. Why couldn't they just stand there forever, arms around each other, bodies pressed together, lips touching, completely at peace? Why did Atobe have to return home to Yumi-chan, and spend the rest of his life with her, instead of holding onto Fuji and never letting him go? Why was it so complicated? Why did it still hurt so much, even though the pain of wanting to be together had passed?

"You have to go." Fuji finally mumbled, parting his lips with the heir's. "Oishi will be here any minute, and I don't want you two to get into something. He thinks I'm still mad at you."

"Are you?" Atobe asked.

"A little. But I guess I got a taste of my own medicine. At least this time, Miyoko will still have both of us. That's all I need to be happy."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that, Syuusuke. But I find myself agreeing with you."

They exchanged one last, small kiss before Atobe left. His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he made for the elevator, and even after the sound was long gone, Fuji stood there, replaying everything that had happened between them in the last few hours.

It was overwhelming, in a way. He felt free. He wasn't afraid. And best of all, he knew Atobe forgave him. All that time he thought the heir hated him, wanted him dead; but in actuality, he'd unconsciously been just as in love with the brunette as he'd been back in middle and high school. And it was apparent he hadn't been able to contain those feelings, no matter the situation.

And now that they had made amends, Fuji realized he was even more in love with Atobe than he'd thought, but he wasn't about to cry over it. It was actually comforting to know he could possess such a feeling for the man he couldn't have, because that meant the same thing could happen with him and a new lover. And maybe it meant that there were still even _greater_ emotions to achieve.

He knew it sounded really sappy, the more he thought about it, but it was the truth. He didn't care if people laughed at him for it, because they'd obviously never experienced what he had. They had no idea how good it felt, how peaceful. It was perfect.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(Two Weeks Later)**

"Mommy?"

"What, sweetie?"

"What's a whore?"

Fuji choked on his tea, and had to cover his mouth as he began coughing uncontrollably. He hadn't expected such a word to come from his daughter's mouth, and he _certainly _hadn't anticipated having to explain it to her. It kind of amazed him though, how naive she was. She was an intelligent child, and had a lot of book smarts, but she had almost no knowledge of the world around her. Atobe sure had her sheltered, considering the kind of life they lived.

"Uh... well..."

"Is it a bad word?"

"Yes, it is. And after today, I don't want to hear you say it again, understand?"

"Nn."

Fuji sighed. He had no idea how to tell a seven year old the definition of such a foul word, but he didn't want to treat her like she was still an infant. She'd hear it again eventually, so why not just tell her the truth? "It usually refers to someone that likes to... do grown-up stuff with lots of people, even strangers. They usually don't have a girlfriend or boyfriend, and sometimes they'll get paid to do those grown-up things.

"It's a really rude word to call someone, because women and men like that are considered filthy people. To sell themselves for things that should be treasured by a couple for a long time is considered sinning to many, and unhygienic and disgusting to many more. Do you get it?"

"Nn, I get it. But why Yumi-chan call _you _that? You don't do those things, right Mommy?"

"Yumi-chan called me a whore?" Fuji asked, feeling his blood begin to boil. "And she said it in front of you?"

"She said it _to _me."

The tensai slammed his hands against the counter. "That little-! How could your father marry such a woman? She has no business being near you with a mouth like that! And I'm _not _a whore! _She's_ the one after your father's money! She probably doesn't even know the _first _thing about being in love!"

Fuji seriously felt like strangling Yumi-chan. How _dare _she call him a whore in front of his daughter! Miyoko was only seven years old! She didn't need to be hearing such things from someone that was supposed to be a parent-figure to her!

"Mommy, someone's at the door."

Miyoko pulled gently at his shirt sleeve, drawing him out of his anger-driven thoughts. And just as she'd said, a loud knocking emanated from the door. Neither could guess as to who it was, because Eiji and Oishi had their own keys so they didn't have to knock. And they certainly weren't expecting anyone else to show up... Needless to say, they were both shocked to discover it was Atobe standing on the other side of the threshold, carrying a pair of white roses with him.

"Daddy!" Miyoko cheered, jumping into his arms.

"Hello sweetheart." He smiled and kissed her head. "I'm sorry I hadn't visited sooner, but Yumi-chan and I have been really busy." He held one of the roses out to her. "I hope you'll forgive me."

"I do, Daddy." She nodded.

"And I hope your mother will forgive me for showing up so unannounced."

He placed the second flower into Fuji's hand, eliciting a deep blush. Fuji hadn't expected him to be so charming. It reminded him of the day Atobe had asked him out for the first time. How could he _not _melt from the heir's smooth style?

"Oh, I forgive you." He smiled, pressing the rose to his lips. "I forgive you so much."

Atobe cocked an eyebrow. He sensed the hidden meaning behind Syuusuke's words. It was a shame Miyoko was there, otherwise he might've thrown the idea of their mutual agreement out the window, tossed Fuji onto the bed, and 'forgave' him right back. _Damn_, he looked so hot when his skin flushed like that. It was almost like he was doing it on purpose, to tease him.

"So... um..." Atobe cleared his throat awkwardly, and adjusted his stance as his pants shrunk a bit. "I was thinking, would you two like to come to dinner with Yumi-chan and me? We were planning to go alone, just to take a break from all the planning and stress. But I figured I haven't seen you two in a while, so maybe a big dinner will help make it up to you."

"In other words, you didn't want to go to dinner alone with Yumi-chan, so you thought you'd ask us to come along to make the time a little more bearable." Fuji stated.

"You know me too well." Laughed Atobe. "But, what do you say? I'll pay, of course, so don't worry about that. And I'll make sure Yumi-chan doesn't do anything _too _stupid, at least not while we're in the restaurant."

"It sounds nice, but I don't really have any dress-clothes." The tensai motioned to his outfit. "There's never been a need for me to wear something fancy, so I never bought anything. And I don't want to go somewhere expensive looking like I just crawled out of a cardboard box. I might ruin your image."

"Syuusuke, it didn't bother me then. Do you think I'll care now?"

"You could've changed your mind in seven years."

"But I didn't."

"That's right, he didn't!" Miyoko echoed. "So tell him you'll go, Mommy! Say 'yes'!"

Atobe chuckled and gave his daughter a wink, before he took Fuji's hand in his own. He lightly kissed the skin, then pulled their bodies close, almost as if they were doing to dance. Fuji reddened yet again.

Miyoko almost started squealing. She'd never seen her parents act in such a way before, at least not together. She wondered if they'd behaved similarly when they were dating. It probably would've been a wonderful sight to behold if they had. Oh, how she wished she could've seen them as a couple. They were perfect for each other.

Atobe was was so big and muscular, and Fuji looked so petite and fragile; their body types just fit so well, along with their personalities. The heir was definitely outgoing and boisterous when surrounded by a group of people, while Fuji was more soft-spoken. Their upbringings had been different, their educations, their families; they had almost nothing in common (besides tennis). But that just made it easier for them to fall in love, _deeply _in love.

It only made their story better. To think that two people who had absolutely no similarities could fall so hard for each other... Miyoko almost believed her parents had jumped out of a fairytale book, but then they would've had their happy ending already.

"Fuji Syuusuke..." The heir started, his voice silky smooth. "Please accompany us to dinner tomorrow night. Your presence will be most desired, by both our daughter and myself. Won't you accept my invitation?"

The tensai went weak in the knees. It felt like he was being asked out on a date. And the proximity of their bodies did nothing to stop the heat that flooded his senses. Was Atobe doing it on purpose? Did he really want Fuji to just shove him onto the bed, and ride him until they were too exhausted to move? Because he was seriously considering it.

"Alright, I'll go." He nodded, finally letting himself cave.

"Excellent." Atobe answered with a smile. "I'll have a car here at five to get you."

"Nn."

The heir bent down and said his goodbye to Miyoko, before giving Fuji a light hug, and a kiss on the cheek; it made the tensai blush even deeper than before. They all walked to the doorway of the apartment, and then the two brunettes waved farewell as Atobe made for the elevator.

When he'd disappeared behind the metal doors, Fuji and Miyoko went back to sitting at the counter. The seven year old started on her homework again, while her mother twirled his rose in between his fingers. He had to admit that Atobe showing up like that had been quite a charming appearance, especially if he was trying to get on Fuji's good side in regards to Miyoko. It was true he hadn't seen her in almost two months time, and it upset the tensai because he and Atobe had seen each other quite a few times, and they weren't even family.

But coming over to invite them to dinner, and giving her a white rose while he was at it, was a perfect way to win her over. It also helped that she forgave easily.

The only problem that faced Syuusuke now was, could he handle seeing Yumi-chan? After insulting him the way she had, and in front of his seven year old, he was ready to beat the living hell out of her. Or maybe he'd just tell her she was right about him being a whore, because he just couldn't keep his hands off of Atobe, and the heir liked it. That would certainly rile her up, but it might get him into trouble with Atobe, and he didn't want to set a bad example for Miyoko by acting like a witch right back to the wickedest one.

No, he'd kill her with kindness, and brains (which he wholly seemed to lack). If he acted like he wasn't bothered by her childish schemes and behavior, then he'd get an even bigger reaction out of her, while staying in the 'good' zone the whole time. The only one that would look like a fool would be Yumi-chan, and poor little Fuji Syuusuke would look the victim. It was the slightest bit sadistic, to want her to make an idiot (and ass) of herself in front of a group of rich, high-class restaurant guests, but she kind of deserved it.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(The Next Night)**

Atobe and Yumi-chan were already waiting for them when they stepped out of the car. The heir was dressed how he usually was, and for once, Yumi-chan was wearing a dress that didn't make her look like she was about to prostitiute herself. There was no doubt she had been forced into the ankle-length fabric though (probably physically), and she looked miserable wearing it. Miyoko had dressed up too (being an Atobe meant she had clothes just as expensive and fancy as her father's), and twirled her way over the other two adults to show off her oufit.

Fuji on the other hand, was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He made sure that the pair of pants he'd picked didn't have any holes or rips (which was typical of his jeans), and his shirt didn't have any kind of prints on it (also a common piece of his wardrobe). He was however, wearing a decorative scarf around his neck, hoping it made him fit in a little more with the group since the rest of his outfit was kind of boring; the last thing the young and rich did was boring.

He felt a hand take his own, before he was being led towards the restaurant. He could tell it was Atobe guiding him there (why would Yumi-chan do it, and Miyoko's hands were too small), and suddenly he felt like he was a teenager again.

He remembred the heir used to half-force him to go out because he was afraid of what people might say and do if they caught Atobe Keigo dating some commoner, especially when the tensai had a reputation of being sadistic. Many people misunderstood what was meant by 'sadistic' and took it as he was a troublemaker, who liked to hurt others. Atobe's parents had certainly believed that at first.

But no matter what his parents, their friends, or their future business partners said, Atobe wouldn't hide Fuji, nor would he break up with him. Anyone who questioned him got an earful of not-so-nice words, informing them that he could be with whoever he wanted, even if they didn't approve.

So, depsite the dirty looks and whispering, the heir took Fuji everywhere. They ate at the best restaurants, and travelled on Atobe's boat, and went shopping for the most expensive clothes; it was like Keigo was trying to piss the naysayers off on purpose. Especially when he'd elegantly lead Fuji by the hand and treat him like his princess.

That was why the tensai felt so reminiscent stepping through the doors of the building; he felt like he was Atobe's princess again. Even if the other guests stared and talked, he knew Atobe accepted him and would be sure to show it off if he had to. It was one of the things he loved most about the heir. He had the ability to make him feel important, even amongst a group of high-class citizens.

The four of them were brought to an area towards the back, where they didn't have to see other people coming and going, and sat with Atobe and Yumi-chan on one side of the table, Fuji and Miyoko on the other. Unfortunately, Fuji and Yumi-chan chose to sit across from each other; Atobe could already tell there were going to be problems.

It started with Yumi-chan 'accidentally' kicking Fuji in the shin, as she adjusted her leg to rest on top of Keigo's, and then she snipped at him for staring at her too long. She was promptly reminded by Atobe that the tensai couldn't actually see her, so he wasn't doing it on purpose.

They were handed their menus, each one only a page long since there wasn't really a variety of food to choose from. Yumi-chan smirked triumphantly at Fuji; he wouldn't be able to read for himself, so like a baby, Atobe or Miyoko would have to do it for him.

"Braille?" The tensai mumbled to himself from across the table, as his fingers ran over the material of his menu. Yumi-chan had to do a double-take at her own, and found that the bumps covering the length of it weren't just for decoration. Damn Atobe for having thought of that.

"A tensai like you should've been able to learn it in seven months." Atobe smiled. "So go on, pick what you'd like."

"You actually brought me to a restaurant that has braille?" Syuusuke asked, looking in the direction of where Keigo's voice had originated. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." Atobe nodded.

After the food was ordered, everything went silent. Atobe was afraid to talk to Fuji, because he didn't want to upset Yumi-chan, but he didn't want to talk to her directly, because it was just unbearable. And he knew speaking to Miyoko would have Yumi-chan's anger directed at her; Atobe would rather have the woman's fury focused on a twenty-three year old male, than his seven year old daughter.

Miyoko didn't speak because she didn't want Yumi-chan to say something to her. If she tried to speak with her father, then she'd never hear the end of it from her stepmother. She'd just complain and complain about how Miyoko bothered her father too much, and needed to find some friends. And Fuji was out of the question, because Yumi-chan would undoubtedly have an opinion about his choice of words throughout the evening, even if he'd said nothing wrong.

Fuji was supposed to be playing the innocent part, that's why he wasn't conversing. If he stayed quiet, Yumi-chan would eventually crack and say or do something to him that would get her on Atobe's bad side, and maybe even the other guests'.

And he was right. Yumi-chan was struggling to hold it all in. Her fingers squeezed her water glass, and her teeth clenched together; she couldn't hold on much longer.

"Kei-san, I have to go to the ladies' room. Do you mind letting me out?"

She was saved the second Atobe slid his chair over in the slightest, giving her just the room she needed to escape. She realized that she'd just left her soon-to-be husband alone with his ex and their child, but she could handle that in order to keep her self under control. She was supposed to be marrying Atobe Keigo, so she couldn't go around making a fool of herself in front of her potential aquaintances. Not if she wanted to keep up her appearance of Atobe's trophy wife.

She leaned against the marble sink counter as she stared into the restroom mirror. She had to figure out a way to sabotage that slut (Fuji), without being caught, without ruining herself.

And the perfect idea came when she passed by the kitchen on her way back to the table. One of the chefs (who looked poorer than the whore sitting with her fiancé), was eating some maki, and had a pile of wasabi laying next to it. From the look of it, he wasn't going to give up the green paste too easily, but she was a beautiful looking woman who could get what she wanted, even if she was stuck in such a hideous dress.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

"Yumi-chan's been gone for quite a while. Maybe you should go look for her."

Atobe scoffed and leaned back in his chair. "As if I want her back here."

"I was just trying to be nice." Fuji giggled.

"Don't."

Miyoko couldn't help but smile. This was what it was supposed to be like. The three of them, together, a happy family. No Yumi-chan, no fighting, no denial of a relationship; just them enjoying a peaceful dinner as a family.

Too bad it had to be ruined by... _her_.

"Kei-san! I'm back! Did you miss me?"

Yumi-chan plopped back down into her chair, and her purse slipped from her shoulder to land beside her on the floor. She was smiling, a good sign that her mood had lightened, but there was never a benevolent reason for her cheerfulness. Atobe began to suspect she had something planned.

The food arrived not long after, and while Fuji, Atobe, and Miyoko all said 'itadakimasu', and prepared their chopsticks, Yumi-chan was busy reaching into her purse. She pulled out a small container, filled with the wasabi she'd coerced the chef into giving her. Atobe noticed what she held, but didn't comment. Instead, he merely smirked and prepared for her plan to fail.

The wasabi was dumped into Fuji's plate, and Yumi-chan's own chopsticks mixed it in with his food. Miyoko and Atobe exchanged an amused look.

She sat back triumphantly when her work was done, and proceeded to watch as Fuji took a piece of shrimp and bit down. He ripped the tail away and placed it down on his napkin, still seemingly unaffected until he began to chew.

The woman's smile grew when the brunette realized wasabi was overloading his tastebuds. But he didn't cry and freak out like she'd expected. He smiled, swallowed and gave an approving look to his meal.

"How did they know I like wasabi? Did you tell them, Yumi-chan?"

He knew. He knew she did it. And damn it, it hadn't worked. What were the chances that he actually _liked _wasabi, and was unaffected by it? There was no way her plan should've failed. If it was anyone else, it would've worked. But _no_, Atobe just _had _to have dated someone who enjoyed wasabi.

She didn't answer his question; she was a little too embarrassed to. She just gave him a dirty look, and started on her own meal. It made Atobe and Miyoko laugh.

"Shut up!" She snapped, slapping the heir across the arm.

"You can't sabotage Fuji Syuusuke, Yumi-chan." Atobe stated. "Not even with wasabi."

"You think I don't get that now?" The blonde growled. "I'm not an idiot."

"No one said you were, Yumi-chan." Miyoko giggled. "Don't get so upset."

Yumi-chan crossed her arms angrily. She was fed up with the teasing. "Just finish eating and leave me alone." She ordered.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

After Atobe paid the bill, they all headed back outside. Yumi-chan immediately climbed into her and Atobe's car, and pouted in the backseat, while the other three stopped to say goodbye.

The heir knelt down to hug Miyoko properly and gave her a kiss on the cheek before coaxing her to get into her car so he could talk to her mother alone. She obeyed, blowing him one last kiss as she hopped into the back and closed the door.

"Is something wrong, Atobe?" The tensai asked once they were alone.

"No one can hear us, Syuusuke. Call me Keigo."

Fuji reddened in the slighest. "Sorry. I'm not really used to it yet."

"You were the last time I had you in bed." The heir teased; it made the brunette flush even more. He knew he could get a little loud, and he had a habit of shouting out Atobe's name when he came, and he came quite a few times the last time they were together sexually.

"Was there something else you wanted to talk about?" He mumbled, hoping to change the subject before Yumi-chan became suspicious.

"Ah. Two things actually. First, I'm sorry about Yumi-chan's behavior tonight. This was supposed to be a nice dinner, where we'd all get to be together, and maybe clear some of the air. But as you've probably heard before, she's not really the most mature woman. I'm sure some of that's my fault for spoiling her, but she had no reason to act like that towards you. You've never given her one."

"That's alright." Fuji smiled. "She didn't bother me all that much. And I have to say, my meal tasted really good thanks to her little trick there." The two of them exchanged a laugh. "Anyways, I know I'm not all that mature either, so I can't be upset over something I'd probably do myself if I were in her position."

Atobe sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"So, what was the other thing you wanted to tell me?"

The heir looked from the car with Yumi-chan to the brunette staring in his direction curiously. Screw what Yumi-chan wanted, he was going to do it.

"Syuusuke, it may sound odd, but I want to invite you to the wedding."

"What?"

"You heard me. Some people might think of it as tacky and disapprove of it, but I want you there. You and I aren't enemies, and it would be a great way for Miyoko and the other guests to know that. And don't tell anyone else, but... I'm starting to get a little nervous."

"Nervous?" Fuji giggled. "Since when is Atobe Keigo nervous?"

"I know it's not really me, but I am. I've never been married before, and I haven't been to a wedding in thirteen years. I don't remember what happens, and I don't want to screw it up because of that. I'm supposed to be perfect. I just think if you're there, it will make me feel a little better."

"I'd love to, but I don't think I'll be able to this time." Fuji lowered his head, and wrapped his arms around his chest as a cold breeze swept by. "It's not the fact that I don't have any nice clothes, and I'm not worried about what people might say... I just can't be there. You know I still love you, so I wouldn't be able to bear witnessing you give yourself to someone else. I don't want to feel bad for myself anymore, but if I have to sit there and watch, I'll only be thinking of how much I screwed up, and how I can't be the one you touch that night. I'm sorry, Keigo."

"No, it's fine. I figured you'd say something like that. At least come to drop Miyoko off though. Get yourself out of the apartment for a while. I'll get a driver to take you wherever you want until everything's over. That's all I ask. Don't lock yourself inside that day, just because of what I'm doing."

"Nn. I'll think about it." The tensai nodded. "Anyway, I guess I should go now. It's getting late, and Miyoko has school tomorrow. I have to make sure she's ready."

"You're such a good mother." Atobe said as he leaned forward and kissed Fuji's forehead. "Much better than you give yourself credit for."

"That's a compliment I've never heard before. Thank you."

Keigo smiled. "You're welcome. I'll see you soon, Syuusuke."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

So? Was it good? Review and let me know!

BTW: Miyoko's nickname for Eiji (Eiji-ji), comes from the word oji-san, what some children call their uncle. Since Eiji's so childish, he told her to call him by an informal version. Really, it's just meant to be a funny nickname, and it's cute.


	4. The Fairytale Ending They'd Dreamed Of

Last chapter peoples! I hope you've enjoyed this story, and please comment on what you think! Anyway, I'm in the middle of making another AtobexFuji fic, and I'm also working on ABCE, and a few other small things. I started watching/reading Death Note too, so I may attempt a fic for that. Anyways, please enjoy this last chappie!

Summary: After many years of no contact, Fuji and Atobe meet again. But the tensai won't get any forgiveness for his actions as a teenager, not from Atobe at least. Their daughter is more than willing to get to know her mother though.

Pairing: AtobexFuji. Mention of Golden Pair.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.

What Once Was

Chapter 4

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(One Week Later)**

Fuji didn't know what bad food he'd eaten, but after throwing up for the third time in one day he was beginning to get curious. He _had _eaten quite a bit of leftovers in the last week, but they'd all smelled fresh, and Miyoko wasn't feeling bad. Had he caught something maybe? But none of Miyoko's schoolmates were sick, and Eiji and Oishi seemed fine. What else could it be?

"Fujiko, are you still sick?" Eiji asked worriedly from the other side of the bathroom door. "Should I make you tea or something?"

"No, I'll be fine. I think I just-"

There was a long pause, but Eiji didn't hear any puking. "Just what?" He wondered curiously when the sentence wasn't finished.

"Eiji, come in here!"

Fuji frantically unlocked the bathroom door and yanked his friend in with him. He'd figured out why he hadn't been feeling well, but he wanted proof, just in case. He needed to know for sure, because if he was right, he was going to be facing a problem bigger than when he'd left Miyoko and Atobe behind. Oh gods, Atobe.

"Eiji, I need you to do something for me." He said, while his hands nervously squeezed the redhead's shirt sleeves.

"Sure Fujiko. What is it?"

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

"So? What does it say?"

Fuji wrung his hands together. He didn't want to hear Eiji's answer, but at the same time he couldn't stand _not _knowing. He _had _to know, especially with Atobe's wedding only a week away. If the tensai _was _in fact in the predicament he thought he was, then Atobe would need to know too; and he'd probably prefer to have the information before he and Yumi-chan were officially wed.

"Um... Fujiko, I don't know how to tell you this..."

He sighed sadly. "Then don't. I know what it says."

"Do you know who?"

The brunette lowered his head. "Nn, but I don't want to tell you. Not yet."

"Oh. Well, that's alright." Eiji said. "It's none of my business, really." He tossed the object he'd been holding into the kitchen trash. "Now that we know, do you want me to cook you something? You need to make sure you're eating good in your situation. Or maybe I could get you some tea?"

"No, I'll be fine." Fuji responded. "Anyway, you should go home now. I'm sure Oishi wants to spend some time with you. I'm just going to go to bed. I'm kind of tired, and there's not really anything to do since Miyoko's asleep."

"If that's what you want Fujiko. Good luck."

Syuusuke collapsed onto his bed once Eiji was gone. He didn't know what to do. Obviously, he had to call Atobe and tell him the news, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. What if the heir thought he was lying, just to get attention and possibly stop the wedding? Or what if he got upset and decided to start another fight? The last thing Fuji needed at the moment was more conflict, and he was sure to get plenty of it if Yumi-chan was somehow able to find out.

So, he wouldn't do it over the phone. He'd wait until he could speak to Atobe directly, face to face, _alone_. The only problem was, when would they have the time for that? Keigo had just been so busy lately.

And what about Miyoko? They'd have to tell her too, which meant they needed to inform her of everything that happened to them in the past two months (without going into _too _much detail though). Hopefully she wouldn't be too upset by what they'd done.

Fuji's hand reached out, and found his daughter's soft brown hair. She shifted in her sleep, and snuggled in close beside him, her small fingers squeezing his shirt. He smiled, wrapping his arm around her body before he too let himself succumb to his dreams.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(One Week Later)**

Atobe examined himself in the mirror. He had to admit, he looked quite good. Then again, he always did. But a wedding tux definitely fit him. Too bad he'd only get to wear it once.

Just as he was about to finish with his tie, someone knocked softly at the door. He figured it was his father coming to check on him, and hurry him along, so he invited him in. But as the door swung open, he was quite surprised to see it was Fuji.

He looked sick. There were bags under his eyes, and his skin was paler than usual. He looked like he'd just thrown up a month's worth of food too, with how unhealthily thin he looked. It was the worst Atobe had ever seen him, and it was a little scary.

"Syuusuke? What are you doing here?" The heir asked. "I thought you said you couldn't come?"

"I know. I wasn't planning on it... but I have to tell you something."

Atobe felt nervous. What was Fuji about to do? He hoped it wouldn't be anything drastic. If he was planning on harming either of them, then Atobe wouldn't be able to live with himself. _He _would've been the one to drive the tensai to insanity, so he'd only put the blame on himself. But why would he make such a rash assumption? Fuji wasn't the type of person to just snap like that. No, there must be a better reason for his presence.

"Keigo... I-I'm pregnant." He confessed. "And don't bother asking whether it's yours or not. We both know it is."

"Syuusuke..."

The heir collapsed into a nearby chair, his hand over his mouth. Was the world _trying_ to send them to a mental institution? Because they were growing closer and closer to the line every time they saw each other.

"I know." Fuji mumbled, heading in the direction of Atobe's voice. "It just never ends, does it? It's like someone _wants _to make things more complicated for us."

"Ah." Keigo nodded, as he guided the brunette to a seat beside his own. "But I suppose it's our own fault. We can't blame it on anyone else."

"If only it were that easy."

"Nn. So, how far along are you?"

"I haven't been to a doctor yet, so I'm not too sure. If I had to guess though, I'd say we conceived the first time you came over. That would make me about... five weeks, I think."

"No wonder you look so ill. I remember when you were pregnant with Miyoko, you had to be hospitalized from throwing up so much during the morning sickness. I'm sure that it's been just as bad this time around, so take good care of yourself. Make sure you're eating enough, and get to a doctor as soon as possible for any vitamins or tests you might need. I'll pay for everything."

"You don't have to do that. My insurance will take care of the payments."

"But you'll be receiving standard treatment. You and our children deserve better than that. So I'm sending you to the doctor you had when you were pregnant before. I _do_ have a say in what happens since I'm the father, and my say is that I'm paying for everything. You can make whatever choices you want, but it will be with my money."

"Alright, fine."

They were interrupted by a third person entering the room, and Keigo's muttering of 'father' told Fuji exactly who stood before them. The old man glared at the tensai, whose gaze focused on his feet, before he turned to his son with an angered look.

"What is _he _doing here?" He asked.

"Father, don't talk like that. Syuusuke is a good person."

"Did you forget what he did to you and my granddaughter? I'd hardly say he's a good person!"

"Atobe-san, I'm really sorry for what I did." Fuji said, getting to his feet. "I didn't mean to trouble your family, and I sorely apologize for the way I treated Keigo and Miyoko. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted you to know that I regret what I did, and I'd do anything to take it back." He bowed low to the elder Atobe, but Keigo pulled him back upright again.

"You don't have to apologize to him, Syuusuke. It wasn't any of his business. He may be my father, but what you did was between us. He and my mother had a right to dislike you, but they shouldn't be acting like this. They hardly knew who you were then, and they certainly don't know who you are now. They have no reason to judge you."

Atobe-san sent his son a pissed look. How dare he speak to him that way? He was speaking to his _father_, not some friend. He needed to show some more respect. But the discipline would have to come later. Right now, it was time for Keigo to get married, to someone _other _than the person his parents loathed. In other words, Fuji had to go.

"The reason I came in here, _Keigo_, is because it's time. You had better go now, or Yumi-chan will be sorely upset, and she'll have every right to be."

"Oh, I'll just go then." Fuji said. "I shouldn't be here anyways."

"Let me walk you out, then." Atobe offered as he took hold of the tensai's hand. "This building has a pretty complicated layout."

"Keigo-"

"Father, in case you didn't know, Syuusuke is blind. I would like him to get to the door without any problems, so Yumi-chan can wait until I'm sure he's found his way."

"You didn't have to act like that, you know." Fuji whispered as they stepped into the hallway. "He _is _your father. You should take his side over mine."

"Nonsense Syuusuke. You know I'll choose you over anyone else." He paused. "You know what I mean." He mumbled, as he realized the contradiction to his words.

"I do." The brunette smiled. "Thank you."

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

Yumi-chan stood in front of him, in her expensive dress, speaking her half of the vows. Atobe wasn't really focusing on her though, because all he could think about was Fuji.

So many things had happened in the last two months, both good and bad, to the point where Keigo wasn't sure anymore. Did he _really _want to be with Yumi-chan? There were no real advantages, other than the fact that it got his parents off his back. And why would he choose _her_ to be Miyoko's mother when she already had one?

Despite the past, Fuji was a _lot _better at being a parent than Yumi-chan, and he was even a better lover. He actually loved Atobe and Miyoko, whereas Yumi-chan just loved money and fame.

So why were things ending this way? Why had he denied what should've been all this time? Why hadn't he just dumped Yumi-chan, and taken Fuji back instead, like the three of them wanted? And now that he knew the tensai was pregnant, there was an even bigger reason for him to just leave Yumi-chan standing there and go find the person he _really _loved, _really _wanted to be with.

He had to do it. He couldn't marry someone he didn't love, and he knew he wouldn't just forget his feelings for Fuji as more time passed. Why, when they were so in love, did they deny themselves the chance to be together? It was so obvious that it was what they wanted. Who cares what happened in the past? It didn't matter to him anymore; he wanted his Fuji Syuusuke back.

"Atobe Keigo-san?"

Atobe was drawn from his thoughts to find the minister, Yumi-chan, and a room full of guests staring at him. Yumi-chan looked worried; she could sense that he was reconsidering his choice. Her eyes filled with tears, and she stomped her foot angrily against the floor.

"No! No, you were supposed to want _me_! You're marrying _me_! You can't leave me for that whore! Kei-san!"

She yanked on the fabric of his tux, trying to shake her logic into him, but he merely pulled her back. His eyes looked out to the crowd, and found Miyoko sitting in the front row. She had a small smile on her face, and nodded her approval to him before she jumped up from her seat and ran for the door.

Atobe planned to follow her, but he couldn't just walk away. He owed everyone a little explanation. "I'm sorry, Yumi-chan." He said. "But I can't marry you."

"No!" She screamed. "No, you _have _to!"

"I can't though. I've cheated on you, multiple times, with the man I love. And in eight months, I'm going to be a father again, but you won't be the one giving birth."

"You _cheated _on me with that little slut? And you got him pregnant again?" Yumi-chan fell to her knees. "Why? I was supposed to be Atobe Yumi! Why did you have to pick him?" She was sobbing uncontrollably, and her hands angrily ripped at her dress, but Atobe didn't care; he had a beautiful, loving, pregnant brunette to look for.

He stepped down from the altar, shedding his tie and jacket in the process, before he ran after Miyoko. She was waiting at the building entrance, and held the doors open for him as he stepped outside onto the steps.

At the bottom of the flight, sitting with his head in his hands, was Fuji. His honey-colored hair blew gently in the wind, and his cornflower eyes stared straight ahead at the parking lot, although he couldn't see it. It was clear he felt alone and miserable, but little did he know his life was about to get a whole lot better.

"Syuusuke!" Atobe shouted as he began his descent down.

The sudden noise caused the tensai to jump to his feet, and he looked curiously towards the origin of the sound. Atobe's footsteps rapidly approached him, but before he had the chance to respond, he was wrapped up in the heir's arms, and their lips were pressed together.

He couldn't believe it. Atobe had chosen _him _over Yumi-chan; the heir had just thrown their agreement to move on out the window, and decided to take him back. And now they were practically making-out next to the parking lot; it was the most wonderful feeling ever.

Miyoko had appeared at their feet, jumping and cheering happily until Atobe picked her up and kissed her cheek. Then he and Fuji went right back to locking lips; they even got a little tongue in before they were interrupted by the sounds of gasps and shouts.

The wedding guests had gathered at the top of the steps, and most of them looked less than happy, especially Keigo's parents; they just looked utterly pissed off. But that only made the heir pull Fuji closer as they faced the crowd.

"Father, Mother, everyone..." He announced. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I couldn't deny myself any longer. I love Syuusuke, so that's who I'm going to be with."

"But Keigo! Why would you want him after what he did?" His mother cried. "Do you really want to risk it?"

"Syuusuke isn't like that anymore. He loves Miyoko, and won't be leaving her any time soon. And I must say he's become a very responsible parent. So, I've given him a second chance. I highly doubt he'll need any more after this."

"But the wedding! Are you just going to walk away after all the time and money we put into it?" Atobe-san shouted.

"Ah. It was a complete waste, but I'd rather it be that, than a life without Syuusuke and a family with him."

Atobe kissed the tensai's forehead, and hugged both him and their daughter tightly, while many of the other Atobes sobbed and cursed behind him. He didn't care in the least though, and ignored every last one of them as he led his family of three (going on four) into his car to take them home.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

**(Two Years Later)**

Fuji turned his head up when he heard his sister call his name, and before he even had the chance to offer his son out to her, she'd already snatched him away and began cooing. He was used to that sort of thing happening whenever he and Atobe had company, so it wasn't a bother that Yumiko had stolen Masahiro away without so much as a 'hi' to the tensai beforehand. He was a little grateful though, because his arms were now free for hugging his other relatives without fear of upsetting or hurting the baby.

He went through them in the order of their entrance through the door: his mother, then his father, Yumiko's husband, Yuuta's girlfriend; and after a slight pause, Yuuta himself. He held onto his aniki a little longer than the others had, and he even kissed Syuusuke's soft hair before making his way down the hall to the greatroom for a drink and some snacks.

A few more minutes and Oishi and Eiji were stepping through the door. The redhead cuddled his three month old son to his chest, and carefully removed their jackets while Oishi placed the car seat and baby bag off to one side like Fuji had instructed him to do. The two guests removed their shoes, gave Fuji a hug like the others, then found their way to the great room to join the party.

One by one, for the next half an hour, old friends and their families poured through the front door, each greeting the tensai with a hug or a handshake, accompanied by questions how him and his family were doing. He smiled to all of them and truthfully answered that he, Atobe, Miyoko and Masahiro were healthy and happy, as would be seen once they were spotted in amongst the crowd.

The last to arrive were Atobe's parents, and they carried a gift for each of their granchildren with them. Atobe-san tried to stand stoic as Fuji held out his arms for the old man, but he had to give in when his son stepped up and brought the three of them into the embrace. The heir's mother came next, and after their jackets were taken, they went off in search of Miyoko and Masahiro to give them their presents.

Keigo motioned for a butler to close the door for him as he pulled Fuji's body against his and kissed his soft lips. Two amazingly wonderful years had passed and they were still as in love as they were back in middle school. Every chance they got they were together, usually doing something with Miyoko and Masahiro, and each day they found themselves loving their life even more. They never grew tired of one another, and fighting was almost non-existent in the house, to the point where people began to question just how faithful they were to their relationship.

But they weren't cheating. No, they were just that happy together. Maybe it was from those seven long years of torture without each other, or maybe the word soulmate wasn't as mythical as they'd once believed. It only seemed to get better with time, and they were grateful for it, because that meant Miyoko and Masahiro wouldn't have to grow up in a broken home. They'd live in a place where they recieved and witnessed affection as much as possible, from and between _both _of their parents; it would definitely help them emotionally in the long run.

Fuji kissed his lover back, with as much passion and love as he could muster. Their tongues met, Atobe's hands roamed, their bodies molded, and they grew hot at the idea of having sex with each other (even though they'd already done it three times that day). Although making-out was perfectly fine, Fuji was easily turned on, and once he was, it was hard for Atobe to resist and deny him relief.

Fingers trailed up Syuusuke's back from beneath his sweater, teasing his sensitive and soft skin until he was just barely whining for the taunting to stop. He repositioned one of the heir's hands at his nipple, and used only his bright blue eyes to beg for more. When Atobe's nails pinched at his nub, he felt his knees go weak, and he moaned in satisfaction. Their mouths pressed back together, and Fuji was suddenly pushed against the wall, Atobe's knee pressing into his crotch.

"Eh? What's going on here?" Came a loud shout from down the hall. Eiji stood, with all the guests behind him, staring at the couple. He had a wide grin on his face, as did most of their other friends, and Fuji couldn't help but look away in embarrassment as he laughed along with the others.

"This is supposed to be a Christmas party, not a make-out party!" Mukahi shouted. He had to use Oshitari for balance because he was laughing so hard.

"I think we've been caught." Atobe whispered amusedly to his lover, forcing Fuji to bury his face in the heir's shirt to hide just how red his face had become.

"Maybe we should leave and let them finish." Yukimura giggled.

"Or maybe we should just avoid their bedroom for a while!" Marui called.

Atobe's shook his head with a smile. "Alright, that's enough. There _are_ children here." He turned back to the flushed tensai and kissed his hair. "I think it's time we got back to the party, Syuusuke."

"Nn." Fuji nodded against his shoulder. "Now that we've been embarrassed in front of everyone."

Atobe gently took his hand, leading him back down the hallway, and into the great room with everyone else. Masahiro was placed back into his arms, Miyoko clung to his side, and Atobe held onto him, ready to never let go.

He wouldn't want it any other way.

**... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...**

The End!

Hope ya'll liked it! I think it's one of the best fanfics I've ever written, so I'm very proud of it. The ending could've been a little better, but overall, I think I did pretty good.

Anyway, thank you for reading. I love all ya'll!


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